Senate Bill 254 aims to establish a funding mechanism for the War Memorial Center in Milwaukee County, the only county in Wisconsin with a population of 750,000 or more. The bill creates a continuing appropriation account under section 20.485 (2) (a) of the statutes, allowing the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) to provide funds to the War Memorial Center's memorial board. To request these funds, the memorial board must describe the intended use of the funds and confirm that it has secured equal matching funds for the project. Additionally, the memorial board is required to submit an annual report to the Joint Committee on Finance detailing how the funds were utilized and the remaining balance in the appropriation account.

The bill also outlines the specific purposes for which the funds can be used, including operational expenses, maintenance, repairs, and improvements of the memorial's facilities. The DVA is tasked with reviewing funding requests within 60 days and must respond with approval or denial, with the option for the memorial board to appeal a denial within 90 days. This legislation is designed to ensure that the War Memorial Center can effectively honor the contributions of veterans while maintaining transparency and accountability in the use of state funds.