AB 1139

This bill creates a Civic Information Consortium Board attached to the

University of Wisconsin System consisting of the following members: 1) two

members appointed by the governor, with one from each major political party; 2) two

senators and two representatives to the assembly, with one of each from the majority

party and the largest minority party; 3) four representatives of the UW System, each

with experience or expertise in journalism, media, technology, or American civic

culture, appointed by the president of the UW System; and 4) a representative from

local media, a representative from the technology sector, and two public members,

appointed by a majority of the members described in 1 to 3.

The bill requires the board to form a nonprofit corporation, called the Wisconsin

Civic Information Consortium, Inc., for the purpose of administering the grant

program described below. The corporation's members are the board members

identified in 3), above, and the board manages the affairs of the corporation,

including selecting a director to manage the day-to-day operation of the corporation.

The board also provides funding to the corporation, through a new general fund

appropriation to the board.

The bill requires the corporation to award grants to support local journalism

and media projects. A grant application must include an explanation of how the

proposed project benefits the state's civic information needs and provides media

literacy skills or local journalism access to currently underserved residents of this

state. A grant recipient must agree to remain independent and the corporation must

ensure that at least 30 percent of the total amount of all grants awarded are

distributed to off-campus partners in rural communities. The corporation must also

collect data on populations and communities in this state that are underserved by

local news and prioritize directing its funding toward these populations and

communities. A board member who is a legislator may not vote on any matter related

to a grant award. The board may not take any action or make any funding decision

based on the reporting of a grant recipient.

The bill requires the board to annually submit a report to the governor and the

legislature detailing how the corporation's funding was spent and how it advanced

the mission of fostering a more informed and engaged public. The report must also

include a summary of the collected data on underserved populations or communities.