AB241,1,4 1An Act to repeal 560.155; and to create 20.292 (1) (eh) and 38.41 of the statutes;
2relating to: transfer of the business employees' skills training grant program
3to the Technical College System Board, granting rule-making authority, and
4making an appropriation.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, the Department of Commerce (Commerce) awards grants
to certain Wisconsin businesses with no more than 25 full-time employees and no
more than $2,500,000 in gross annual income to provide skills training for employees
of the businesses. Commerce must give preference in awarding grants to the
following three types of businesses: businesses in industries with severe labor
shortages; businesses in industries that Commerce determines are especially
adversely affected by federal requirements or policies; and businesses that operate
in development zones or enterprise development zones.
This bill transfers the administration of this grant program to the Technical
College System (TCS) Board and makes the following changes to the program: (1)
requires the TCS district boards annually to designate, based upon regional need,
the types of businesses to be given preference in awarding grants; (2) requires that
an eligible business employ no more than 100 full-time employees; and (3) requires
a business that receives a grant to provide matching funds for the entire amount of
the grant, unless the board finds that the business is subject to extreme financial
hardship.

For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as
an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB241, s. 1 1Section 1. 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert
2the following amounts for the purposes indicated: - See PDF for table PDF
AB241, s. 2 3Section 2. 20.292 (1) (eh) of the statutes is created to read:
AB241,2,54 20.292 (1) (eh) Business employees' skills training grants. The amounts in the
5schedule for grants under s. 38.41.
AB241, s. 3 6Section 3. 38.41 of the statutes is created to read:
AB241,2,8 738.41 Business employees' skills training grant program. (1) Subject
8to sub. (2), the board may award a grant to a business if all of the following apply:
AB241,2,109 (a) The business is located in this state and satisfies any of the following
10criteria:
AB241,2,1111 1. The business has no more than 100 full-time employees.
AB241,2,1312 2. The business had no more than $2,500,000 in gross annual income in the
13year preceding the year in which the business receives the grant.
AB241,2,1514 (b) The business has been in compliance with s. 77.58 for at least 6 months
15before applying for the grant.
AB241,3,3
1(c) The business agrees in writing to use the grant only to provide skills training
2or other education related to the needs of the business to current or prospective
3employees of the business.
AB241,3,44 (d) The business agrees in writing to comply with sub. (2) (d).
AB241,3,65 (e) The business submits a plan to the board detailing the proposed use of the
6grant, and the board approves the plan.
AB241,3,97 (f) The business enters into a written agreement with the board that specifies
8the conditions for the use of the grant, including reporting and auditing
9requirements.
AB241,3,1110 (g) The business agrees in writing to submit to the board the report required
11under sub. (3) by the time required under sub. (3).
AB241,3,1412 (h) The business provides matching funds at least equal to the amount of the
13grant. The board may waive the requirement under this paragraph if the board
14determines that the business is subject to extreme financial hardship.
AB241,3,16 15(2) (a) The board may not award a business more than $20,000 in grants under
16this section.
AB241,3,2117 (b) Annually, each district board shall submit to the board a list of the types of
18businesses that the district board believes, based upon regional need, should be
19given preference in the granting of awards. The board shall give preference to those
20types of businesses designated by the district boards in awarding grants under this
21section.
AB241,3,2222 (d) A grant under this section may not be used for any of the following:
AB241,3,2523 1. To pay more than 80 percent of the cost of any skills training or other
24education related to the needs of the recipient business that is provided to the owner
25of the business, the owner's spouse, or a child of the owner.
AB241,4,2
12. To pay wages or compensate for lost revenue, if any, in connection with
2providing the training or other education, or otherwise.
AB241,4,5 3(3) A business that receives a grant under this section shall submit to the
4board, within 6 months after spending the full amount of the grant proceeds, a report
5detailing how the grant proceeds were used.
AB241,4,6 6(4) The board shall promulgate rules to implement and administer this section.
AB241, s. 4 7Section 4. 560.155 of the statutes is repealed.
AB241, s. 5 8Section 5. Nonstatutory provisions.
AB241,4,129 (1) On the effective date of this subsection, the department of commerce shall
10transfer any pending applications for grants under section 560.155 of the statutes,
11as affected by this act, to the technical college system board for consideration under
12section 38.41 of the statutes, as created by this act.
AB241,4,1313 (End)
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