Creating a student loan reimbursement program for individuals who relocate to certain rural counties, authorizing non-rural counties to create a similar student loan reimbursement program, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation. (FE)

What it would have done

Summary by the Legislative Reference Bureau, the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

This bill creates the Growing Rural Opportunities and Workforce in Wisconsin Program (GROW Wisconsin program), administered by the Higher Educational Aids Board (HEAB), that provides student loan reimbursement payments to individuals who relocate to certain rural counties. Under the program, an individual with an outstanding balance on a student loan may apply to HEAB for student loan reimbursement payments if 1) the individual obtained a degree, or an embedded pathway certificate or technical diploma, prior to establishing residency in a rural opportunity community and prior to applying to HEAB; and 2) the individual establishes residency in a rural opportunity community after the applicable county board adopts a resolution to participate in the GROW Wisconsin program (authorizing resolution). The authorizing resolution must include an irrevocable commitment by the county to participate in the program for at least five years and must specify the maximum total of all payments by the county toward the outstanding balance of an individual's student loan, which payments may not exceed the lesser of $7,500 or 10 percent of the outstanding balance of the student loan. A "rural opportunity community" is a county that has adopted an authorizing resolution and that is certified by the secretary of workforce development as an eligible rural county based on certain criteria. Under the GROW Wisconsin program, HEAB makes annual student loan payments to an individual's lender in the amount of 10 percent of the outstanding balance of the individual's student loan, but not exceeding a total of $7,500 or the maximum amount of payment authorized by the rural opportunity community. The rural opportunity community, under the authorizing resolution, also makes payments toward the outstanding balance of the individual's student loan, and HEAB's payments may not exceed the amount of the payments by the rural opportunity community. HEAB may not make payments under the program for an individual for more than five years and must cease payments if the individual relocates outside the rural opportunity community. If the amount appropriated for HEAB's payments is insufficient, HEAB must prorate its payments.

Also under the bill, a county that is not a rural opportunity community (a non-ROC) may create a program that is similar to the program created under the bill, except that the board of such a county may set the maximum annual and total payments at whatever amount it considers appropriate. An individual who is eligible for a reimbursement payment from a program established by a non-ROC is not eligible to receive a state matching grant under the state program. In addition, a non-ROC may partner with any city, village, or town that is located wholly or partly within the county, or with any other person, to help the non-ROC fund the county program.

Who's behind it

13 lawmakers are its authors⁠. 7 are Republicans and 6 are Democrats.

7 more lawmakers signed on in support⁠.

What it would cost

State agencies filed a cost estimate. Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.

• Fiscal Estimate From HEAB