2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE
LRB-5328/1
MDE:cdc
2023 ASSEMBLY BILL 963
January 16, 2024 - Introduced by Representatives JOERS, VINING, C. ANDERSON, J.
ANDERSON, BALDEH, CONLEY, CONSIDINE, EMERSON, HONG, JACOBSON, MADISON,
MOORE OMOKUNDE, NEUBAUER, ORTIZ-VELEZ, PALMERI, RATCLIFF, SHANKLAND,
SHELTON, SINICKI, SNODGRASS, STUBBS and SUBECK, cosponsored by Senators
ROYS, AGARD, CARPENTER, L. JOHNSON, LARSON, SPREITZER, TAYLOR and WIRCH.
Referred to Committee on Tourism.
1 AN ACT to create 20.192 (1) (br) and 238.129 of the statutes; relating to: main
2 street bounceback grants and making an appropriation.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill appropriates $25,000,000 in general purpose revenue in each year of
the 2023-25 fiscal biennium for the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
to award grants to provide assistance to businesses opening a new location or
expanding operations in a vacant commercial space. WEDC already administers
such a program, which is nonstatutory, with federal American Rescue Plan Act
(ARPA) funding. Under the bill, WEDC must establish eligibility requirements and
other policies and procedures for grants awarded under the bill that are
substantially similar to the eligibility requirements and policies and procedures in
effect on June 30, 2023, for the Wisconsin Tomorrow Main Street Bounceback Grant
program administered by WEDC. Additionally, WEDC may not award a grant under
the bill to a nonprofit organization.
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:
 2023 - 2024 Legislature -2- LRB-5328/1
MDE:cdc
ASSEMBLY BILL 963 SECTION 1
2023-24 2024-25
1 20.192 Wisconsin Economic Development
2 Corporation
3 (1) PROMOTION OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
4 (br) Main street bounceback grants GPR A 25,000,000 25,000,000
5 SECTION 2. 20.192 (1) (br) of the statutes is created to read:
6 20.192 (1) (br) Main street bounceback grants. The amounts in the schedule
7 for grants awarded under s. 238.129.
8 SECTION 3. 238.129 of the statutes is created to read:
9 238.129 Main street bounceback grants. (1) GRANTS. From the
10 appropriation under s. 20.192 (1) (br), the corporation may award grants to provide
11 assistance to businesses opening a new location or expanding operations in a vacant
12 commercial space.
13 (2) ELIGIBILITY. (a) Subject to par. (b), the corporation shall establish eligibility
14 requirements and other policies and procedures for the grants awarded under sub.
15 (1) that are substantially similar to the eligibility requirements and policies and
16 procedures in effect on June 30, 2023, for the Wisconsin Tomorrow Main Street
17 Bounceback Grant program administered by the corporation.
18 (b) The corporation may not award a grant under this section to a nonprofit
19 organization.
20 (END)