Assembly Bill 661
Providing student loan assistance for individuals employed in critical industry sectors, providing an exemption from rule-making procedures, and making an appropriation. (FE)
Stopped in committee
It never got a , so it never came up for a vote. To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.
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Introduced, passed
Jan 7, 2016
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Committee, stopped here
Stopped here. No public hearing was held.
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Assembly vote, not reached
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Senate vote, not reached
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Governor, not reached
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Law, not reached
Latest entry in the official record, Apr 13, 2016: “Failed to pass pursuant to ”
It never got a hearing in the Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities. See every bill that never got a hearing this session.
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Terms on this page
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1. More in the glossary
Legislative Reference Bureau
The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.
Official term: LRB analysis. More in the glossary
Author
A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.
Official term: Author, coauthor. More in the glossary
Signed on in support
Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.
Official term: Cosponsor. More in the glossary
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate. More in the glossary
What it would have done
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
This bill requires the Higher Educational Aids Board (HEAB) to make student loan assistance payments to certain individuals employed in sectors of industry that are critical to the state's economy and that offer employment with wages and benefits that provide for self-sufficiency. The bill requires the secretary of workforce development and the chief executive office (CEO) of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation to identify the sectors. In addition, the secretary and CEO must consult with the following in identifying the sectors: the state superintendent of public instruction, the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, the technical college system board, and local workforce investment boards established under the federal Workforce Investment Act.
An individual is eligible for the payments if he or she was enrolled in an institution of higher education on or after the bill's effective date. In addition, prior to applying for the payments, the individual must have obtained a technical college embedded pathway certificate, technical college short-term, one-year, or two-year technical diploma, or an associate, bachelor's, or graduate degree. The individual must also have an outstanding balance on a student loan. Finally, within 18 months after obtaining the required degree, he or she must be employed in a sector identified as described above.
Read the full summary Show less
The bill requires HEAB to make payments to eligible individuals who submit an application prescribed by HEAB that identifies lenders and outstanding student loan balances. Except when the appropriation for the payments is not sufficient, which is discussed below, the bill requires that the total amount of payments to an individual must equal 20 percent of the outstanding balance on the individual's student loans, or $15,000, whichever is less. HEAB must make five annual payments of equal amounts to the lenders identified on the individual's application.
If more than one lender is identified, HEAB must prorate the payments among the lenders. If an individual pays the entire balance of a student loan before HEAB makes all the required payments to the lender, HEAB must pay directly to the individual the amounts HEAB would have paid to the lender. However, HEAB may not make any annual payment to a lender or individual unless the individual submits proof that he or she is a state resident who is employed in a sector identified as described above.
The bill requires HEAB to determine whether the amounts appropriated for the payments are sufficient to make payments to eligible individuals. If the amount is not sufficient, HEAB must prorate the payments and notify the joint committee on finance that the amount is not sufficient. The bill also provides that the bill does not relieve an individual of any contractual duty to make scheduled payments on a student loan. Finally, the bill requires HEAB to prepare and distribute informational and promotional material about the student loan assistance available, and the sectors identified, under the bill to all private, public, and tribal high schools in the state.
Who's behind it
13 lawmakers are its . All 13 are Democrats.
7 more lawmakers .
See all 20 names Hide the names
Authors (13)
- Terese Berceau · Democrat, Assembly
- Jonathan Brostoff · Democrat, Assembly
- Chris Danou · Democrat, Assembly
- LaTonya Johnson · Democrat, Senate
- Andy Jorgensen · Democrat, Assembly
- Beth Meyers · Democrat, Assembly
- Tod Ohnstad · Democrat, Assembly
- Melissa Sargent · Democrat, Assembly
- Christine Sinicki · Democrat, Assembly
- Mark Spreitzer · Democrat, Senate
- Lisa Subeck · Democrat, Assembly
- Dana Wachs · Democrat, Assembly
- Josh Zepnick · Democrat, Assembly
Signed on in support (7)
- Chris Larson · Democrat, Senate
- Nikiya Harris Dodd · Democrat, Senate
- Lena Taylor · Democrat, Senate
- Julie M. Lassa · Democrat, Senate
- Janis Ringhand · Democrat, Senate
- Kathleen Vinehout · Democrat, Senate
- Bob Wirch · Democrat, Senate
What it would cost
State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.
What happened
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Apr 13, 2016
The session ended, and the bill died with it.
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Jan 13, 2016
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Jan 7, 2016
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities.
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Jan 7, 2016
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Jan 7, 2016 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Spreitzer, Jorgensen, Berceau, Brostoff, Danou, Johnson, Meyers, Ohnstad, Sargent, Sinicki, Subeck, Wachs and Zepnick; cosponsored by Senators Lassa, C. Larson, Harris Dodd, L. Taylor, Ringhand, Vinehout and Wirch
- Jan 7, 2016 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to Committee on Colleges and Universities
- Jan 13, 2016 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Apr 13, 2016 · Assembly
Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1
Terms on this page
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1. More in the glossary
Legislative Reference Bureau
The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.
Official term: LRB analysis. More in the glossary
Author
A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.
Official term: Author, coauthor. More in the glossary
Signed on in support
Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.
Official term: Cosponsor. More in the glossary
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate. More in the glossary
From the Wisconsin Legislature's official record, checked Sep 15, 2026. See the source
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1
Legislative Reference Bureau
The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.
Official term: LRB analysis
Signed on in support
Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.
Official term: Cosponsor
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate