2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE
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2023 ASSEMBLY BILL 540
October 18, 2023 - Introduced by Representatives KURTZ, DALLMAN, DITTRICH,
DUCHOW, GUNDRUM, MICHALSKI, NOVAK, O'CONNOR and OLDENBURG,
cosponsored by Senators MARKLEIN and TESTIN. Referred to Committee on
Colleges and Universities.
1 AN ACT to create 20.192 (1) (c) and 238.145 of the statutes; relating to:
2 University of Wisconsin System branch campus redevelopment grants,
3 including a grant to Richland County, and making an appropriation.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill requires the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation to award
grants of up to $2,000,000 to political subdivisions of this state for costs associated
with the redevelopment of buildings or other sites owned by the political subdivision
on a UW System branch campus that are or will no longer be used for academic
purposes. A branch campus is any of the former two-year college campuses that
were partnered with a four-year UW System campus in the 2018 UW System
restructuring. WEDC must award a $2,000,000 grant to Richland County before
awarding a grant to any other political subdivision.
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:
4 SECTION 1. 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert
5 the following amounts for the purposes indicated:
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ASSEMBLY BILL 540 SECTION 1
2023-24 2024-25
1 20.192 Wisconsin Economic Development
2 Corporation
3 (1) PROMOTION OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
4 (c) Branch campus redevelopment
5 grants GPR C 6,000,000 -0-
6 SECTION 2. 20.192 (1) (c) of the statutes is created to read:
7 20.192 (1) (c) Branch campus redevelopment grants. As a continuing
8 appropriation, the amounts in the schedule for grants to political subdivisions under
9 s. 238.145.
10 SECTION 3. 238.145 of the statutes is created to read:
11 238.145 Branch campus redevelopment grants. (1) DEFINITIONS. In this
12 section:
13 (a) “Branch campus” means any of the former college campuses that were
14 partnered with a university in the University of Wisconsin System restructuring
15 plan approved by the Higher Learning Commission on or about June 28, 2018.
16 (b) “Political subdivision” means a city, village, town, or county.
17 (2) GRANTS. (a) From the appropriation under s. 20.192 (1) (c), and subject to
18 par. (b), the corporation shall award grants to political subdivisions for costs,
19 including planning costs, associated with the redevelopment of buildings or other
20 sites owned by the political subdivision on a branch campus or former branch campus
21 that are or will no longer be used for academic purposes.
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ASSEMBLY BILL 540 SECTION 3
1 (b) The corporation shall award a grant under this subsection, in the amount
2 of $2,000,000, to Richland County before awarding a grant under this subsection to
3 any other political subdivision.
4 (c) No grant awarded under this subsection may exceed $2,000,000.
5 (END)