Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE
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                  2023 ASSEMBLY BILL 234
    April 28, 2023 - Introduced by Representatives SORTWELL, ARMSTRONG, BEHNKE,
         BROOKS, DONOVAN, GREEN, KITCHENS, MURSAU and SUBECK, cosponsored by
         Senators COWLES and FELZKOWSKI. Referred to Committee on Education.
1   AN ACT to create 20.235 (1) (cp) and 39.396 of the statutes; relating to: a school
2        psychologist loan program, and making an appropriation.
                      Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
          This bill creates a school psychologist loan program to be administered by the
    Higher Educational Aids Board (HEAB) for students who meet certain eligibility
    criteria, including enrollment at an institution of higher education in a program of
    study leading to a school psychologist career. Under the program, HEAB may award
    to an eligible student a loan of up to $10,000 annually for up to three years. HEAB
    must forgive 25 percent of the loan for each school year that the recipient is employed
    as a school psychologist in an urbanized county or rural area, as defined in the bill.
    “School psychologist” is defined in the bill as a licensed psychologist who practices
    in a school-based setting or an individual who is licensed as a school psychologist
    under rules promulgated by the Department of Public Instruction.
          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:
3        SECTION 1. 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert
4   the following amounts for the purposes indicated:
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      ASSEMBLY BILL 234                                                          SECTION 1
                                                                     2023-24      2024-25
 1   20.235     Higher Educational Aids Board
 2   (1)     STUDENT SUPPORT ACTIVITIES
 3    (cp)     School psychologist loan pro­
 4             gram                                  GPR    A             -0-          -0-
 5           SECTION 2. 20.235 (1) (cp) of the statutes is created to read:
 6           20.235 (1) (cp) School psychologist loan program. The amounts in the schedule
 7   for the school psychologist loan program under s. 39.396.
 8           SECTION 3. 39.396 of the statutes is created to read:
 9           39.396 School psychologist loan program. (1) In this section:
10           (a) “Rural county” means a county that satisfies all of the following:
11           1. The county does not include any urbanized area.
12           2. Less than 25 percent of persons residing in the county are employed in
13   another county that includes an urbanized area.
14           3. Less than 25 percent of persons employed in the county reside in another
15   county that includes an urbanized area.
16           (b) “School psychologist” means a psychologist licensed under s. 455.04 (1) or
17   (2) who practices in a school-based setting, or an individual who is licensed as a
18   school psychologist under rules promulgated by the department of public
19   instruction.
20           (b) “Urbanized area" has the meaning given in 23 USC 134 (b) (7).
21           (2) The board shall establish a school psychologist loan program for students
22   who meet all of the following requirements:
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     ASSEMBLY BILL 234                                                           SECTION 3
 1        (a) Are residents of this state enrolled at least half-time as sophomores,
 2   juniors, or seniors in an institution of higher education, as defined in 20 USC 1001
 3   (a) and (b), located in this state.
 4        (b) Are enrolled in programs of study leading to a school psychologist career.
 5        (c) Have a grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4-point scale or the
 6   equivalent.
 7        (3) A student eligible for a loan under sub. (2) may be awarded loans of up to
 8   $10,000 annually for not more than 3 years, with a maximum of $30,000 in loans to
 9   a student under this section.
10        (4) (a) Loans under sub. (2) shall be made from the appropriation under s.
11   20.235 (1) (cp). Except as provided in par. (b), loans under sub. (2) shall be repaid at
12   an annual interest rate of 5 percent.
13        (b) The board shall forgive 25 percent of the loan and 25 percent of the interest
14   on the loan for each school year the recipient is employed as a full-time school
15   psychologist by a public or private elementary or secondary school in an urbanized
16   area or in a school district in a rural county.
17        (5)    The board shall deposit in the general fund as general purpose
18   revenue-earned all repayments of loans made under sub. (2) and the interest on the
19   loans.
20                                         (END)