Date of enactment: February 21, 2024
2023 Senate Bill 894 Date of publication*: February 22, 2024
2023 WISCONSIN ACT 96
AN ACT to repeal 20.192 (1) (ar); and to create 20.192 (1) (ar) of the statutes; relating to: a technology and innova-
tion hub grant to BioForward, Inc., and making an appropriation.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in
senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
SECTION 1. 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert the following amounts
for the purposes indicated:
2023−24 2024−25
20.192 Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
(1) PROMOTION OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
(ar)Regional technology and innovation hub
grant GPR B −0− −0−
SECTION 2. 20.192 (1) (ar) of the statutes is created
to read:
20.192 (1) (ar) Regional technology and innovation
hub grant. Biennially, the amounts in the schedule for the
grant to BioForward, Inc., under 2023 Wisconsin Act ....
(this act), section 4 (1).
SECTION 3. 20.192 (1) (ar) of the statutes, as created
by 2023 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), is repealed.
SECTION 4.0Nonstatutory provisions.
(1) REGIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION HUB
GRANT.
(a) The Wisconsin Economic Development Corpora-
tion shall provide sponsorship funding for purposes of
this state’s designation as a regional technology and inno-
vation hub under 15 USC 3722a. The funding shall be in
the form of a grant of $7,500,000 awarded to BioFor-
ward, Inc., in its capacity as the lead consortium member
of the consortium formed for purposes of this state’s fed-
eral designation as a regional technology and innovation
hub. The grant awarded under this subsection is not sub-
ject to s. 238.03 (3) (a).
(b) To the extent consistent with the purposes of a
federal grant awarded under 15 USC 3722a (f), BioFor-
ward, Inc., shall expend all grant moneys for the follow-
ing projects:
1. The establishment in this state of a clinical work
flow and supply chain support center for image−guided
therapies and theranostics.
2. The construction of expanded shared lab space at
Forward BIOLABS, Inc., the construction of new For-
ward BIOLABS, Inc., lab space, and the development of
lab−related programming and support for the expansion
of Forward BIOLABS, Inc.
* Section 991.11, WISCONSIN STATUTES: Effective date of acts. “Every act and every portion of an act enacted by the legislature over the governor’s
partial veto which does not expressly prescribe the time when it takes effect shall take effect on the day after its date of publication.” − 2 −2023 Wisconsin Act 96 2023 Senate Bill 894
3. The development of a program that provides sup-
port for manufacturing and supply chain companies in
this state to develop apprenticeship programs and the
development of incentives for employers in this state to
engage apprentices in high−demand industry sectors.
(2) REPORTS. Annually, for 3 years beginning with the
first year after the grant is awarded under sub. (1), the Wis-
consin Economic Development Corporation and BioFor-
ward, Inc., shall submit a joint report to the joint commit-
tee on finance detailing all uses of the grant moneys.
SECTION 5.0Fiscal changes.
(1) In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appro-
priation to the joint committee on finance under s.
20.865 (4) (a), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2023−24
is increased by $7,500,000 for the grant to BioForward,
Inc., under SECTION 4 (1) of this act. No moneys may be
released under this subsection unless the consortium
specified in SECTION 4 (1) of this act is awarded a federal
grant under 15 USC 3722a (f).
SECTION 6.0Effective dates. This act takes effect on
the day after publication, except as follows:
(1) The repeal of s. 20.192 (1) (ar) takes effect on
July 1, 2025.