Wisconsin 2023-2024 Regular Session

Wisconsin Assembly Bill AB856 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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3	3	2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE
4	4	2023 ASSEMBLY BILL 856
5	5	December 22, 2023 - Introduced by Representatives DALLMAN, KURTZ, C. ANDERSON,
6	6	DITTRICH, KITCHENS, KRUG, MURSAU, NOVAK, O'CONNOR, PENTERMAN, PLUMER,
7	7	SCHRAA, STUBBS, SWEARINGEN and JACOBSON, cosponsored by Senators
8	8	BALLWEG, BRADLEY, CARPENTER, FEYEN, MARKLEIN, SPREITZER and TESTIN.
9	9	Referred to Committee on Tourism.
10	10	*AUTHORS SUBJECT TO CHANGE*
11	11	AN ACT to create 238.143 of the statutes; relating to: grants awarded by the
12	12	Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation for the purpose of attracting
13	13	opportunities and events to Wisconsin.
14	14	Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
15	15	This bill requires the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation to
16	16	establish and administer an economic development program for the purpose of
17	17	attracting major opportunities and events to Wisconsin. Any city, village, town, or
18	18	county, American Indian tribe or band, area visitor and convention bureau, business
19	19	improvement district, or private entity is an eligible applicant for a grant under the
20	20	bill.
21	21	An eligible applicant must expend all grant moneys on a project to attract to
22	22	Wisconsin or host in Wisconsin, or both, a major opportunity or event that is open to
23	23	the public, whether or not free of charge. Specifically, grant moneys may be used to
24	24	undertake a project to do one or more of the following:
25	25	1. Bid against other states or jurisdictions outside Wisconsin to attract an
26	26	opportunity or event that will draw national exposure and drive economic
27	27	development and visitors to Wisconsin.
28	28	2. Host an opportunity or event that will attract national exposure and drive
29	29	economic development and visitors to Wisconsin that the eligible applicant has
30	30	secured through a competitive bid against other states or jurisdictions outside
31	31	Wisconsin.
32	32	Before WEDC awards each grant under the bill, an eligible applicant must
33	33	provide a project cost-benefit analysis to WEDC and must secure from nonstate
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38	38	ASSEMBLY BILL 856
39	39	sources an amount equal to the amount of the proposed grant. Additionally, the bill
40	40	provides that WEDC may consult with the Department of Tourism to implement the
41	41	grant program.
42	42	Finally, the bill requires WEDC to submit an annual report to the Joint
43	43	Committee on Finance that includes a detailed description of each grant awarded
44	44	under the bill, including the eligible applicant's cost-benefit analysis concerning the
45	45	proposed opportunity or event.
46	46	For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as
47	47	an appendix to this bill.
48	48	The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
49	49	enact as follows:
50	50	SECTION 1. 238.143 of the statutes is created to read:
51	51	238.143 Opportunity attraction and promotion. (1) DEFINITION. In this
52	52	section, “eligible applicant” means any of the following in this state:
53	53	(a) A city, village, town, or county.
54	54	(b) An American Indian tribe or band in this state.
55	55	(c) An area visitor and convention bureau.
56	56	(d) A business improvement district.
57	57	(e) A private entity.
58	58	(2) ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM. The corporation shall establish and administer
59	59	the economic development program under this section for the purpose of attracting
60	60	opportunities and events to this state.
61	61	(3) GRANTS. (a) The corporation shall award grants to eligible applicants for
62	62	major opportunities and events projects as provided under par. (b). The corporation
63	63	shall prescribe the form of application and the information required to be submitted
64	64	with an application, which shall include an estimate of projected direct and indirect
65	65	economic benefits of the proposed opportunity or event to the state and a related
66	66	cost-benefit analysis concerning the opportunity or event.
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86	86	SECTION 1
87	87	ASSEMBLY BILL 856
88	88	(b) An eligible applicant shall expend all grant moneys on a project as specified
89	89	in the application to attract to this state or host in this state, or both, a major
90	90	opportunity or event that is open to the public, whether or not free of charge.
91	91	Specifically, grant moneys may be used to undertake a project to do one or more of
92	92	the following:
93	93	1. Bid against other states or jurisdictions outside this state to attract an
94	94	opportunity or event that will draw national exposure and drive economic
95	95	development and visitors to this state.
96	96	2. Host an opportunity or event that will attract national exposure and drive
97	97	economic development and visitors to this state that the eligible applicant has
98	98	secured through a competitive bid against other states or jurisdictions outside this
99	99	state.
100	100	(c) Grants awarded under this subsection are not subject to s. 238.03 (3) (a).
101	101	(4) MATCHING REQUIREMENT. The corporation may not award a grant under sub.
102	102	(3) unless the eligible applicant has secured from nonstate sources an amount equal
103	103	to the amount of the proposed grant.
104	104	(5) CONSULTATION WITH DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM. The corporation may consult
105	105	with the department of tourism to implement the corporation's duties under this
106	106	section.
107	107	(6) ANNUAL REPORT. No later than October 1 of each year, the corporation shall
108	108	submit a report to the joint committee on finance for the previous fiscal year that
109	109	includes a detailed description of each grant awarded under sub. (3), including the
110	110	eligible applicant's analysis concerning the opportunity or event.
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