University of Wisconsin System tuition grant 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.

The bill creates a new grant program administered by the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. This program provides grants in the form of “last-dollar awards” to supplement the gap between any scholarships or grants that an eligible student receives outside of this program and the full cost of tuition and segregated fees during either eight consecutive semesters for incoming freshmen or four consecutive semesters for incoming transfer students. Summer terms are not counted in the consecutive semester count, and students may not receive the grants for summer terms. Students eligible for the grants must be new incoming students enrolled in their first bachelor's degree whose household federal adjusted gross income is equal to or less than $60,000 a year and must be enrolled in an on-campus program at a UW System institution other than UW-Madison. The bill requires the Board of Regents to promulgate rules to implement and administer the grant program.

The bill also provides additional funding for special education aid the Department of Public Instruction pays to school districts, independent charter schools, cooperative educational service agencies, and county children with disabilities education boards in the amount of $7,520,000 for the 2021-22 fiscal year and $13,735,000 for the 2022-23 fiscal year, for purposes of maintaining compliance with maintenance of effort requirements of the federal Consolidated Appropriations Act and the federal American Rescue Plan Act.

Who's behind it

5 senators are its authors⁠. All 5 are Democrats.

26 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 DPI
• Fiscal Estimate From UWS