Wisconsin 2025-2026 Regular Session

Wisconsin Assembly Bill AB47 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
2	2	LRB-1779/1
3	3	ARG:cdc
4	4	2025 ASSEMBLY BILL 47
5	5	February 17, 2025 - Introduced by Representatives MURPHY, MAXEY, ARMSTRONG,
6	6	BRILL, GUNDRUM, KREIBICH, O'CONNOR, SINICKI and WICHGERS, cosponsored
7	7	by Senators JACQUE and TOMCZYK. Referred to Committee on Veterans and
8	8	Military Affairs.
9	9
10	10	*AUTHORS SUBJECT TO CHANGE*
11	11	AN ACT to amend 36.27 (3n) (a) 1m. a., 36.27 (3n) (a) 1m. b., 36.27 (3n) (b)
12	12	(intro.), 36.27 (3n) (bd), 36.27 (3n) (bg), 36.27 (3n) (bm), 36.27 (3n) (c), 36.27
13	13	(3p) (a) 1r. (intro.), 38.24 (7) (a) 1m. a., 38.24 (7) (a) 1m. b., 38.24 (7) (a) 1p.,
14	14	38.24 (7) (b) (intro.), 38.24 (7) (bd), 38.24 (7) (bg), 38.24 (7) (bm) and 38.24 (8)
15	15	(a) 1r. (intro.); to create 36.27 (3n) (a) 1r. of the statutes; relating to: tuition
16	16	and fee remission for certain veterans and their dependents enrolled in the
17	17	University of Wisconsin System or a technical college.
18	18	Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
19	19	This bill modifies the residency requirement for the tuition and fee remission
20	20	program for certain veterans and their spouses and children enrolled in University
21	21	of Wisconsin System schools and technical colleges.
22	22	Under current law, if certain criteria are met, veterans and their spouses and
23	23	17- to 25-year-old children are eligible for full remission of tuition and fees at UW
24	24	System schools and technical colleges for up to eight semesters or 128 credits,
25	25	whichever is longer. Under the veterans fee remission program, the veteran must
26	26	be a resident of this state when he or she entered military service or be a resident of
27	27	1
28	28	2
29	29	3
30	30	4
31	31	5
32	32	6
33	33	7 2025 - 2026 Legislature
34	34	ASSEMBLY BILL 47
35	35	- 2 - LRB-1779/1
36	36	ARG:cdc
37	37	this state for at least five consecutive years immediately before the veteran registers
38	38	at a UW System school or technical college. Under the fee remission program for
39	39	the spouse or child of a veteran who suffered service-connected death or disability,
40	40	the veteran must have been a resident of this state when he or she entered military
41	41	service or one of the following must apply: 1) if the veteran, while a resident of this
42	42	state, died on active duty, died as the result of a service-connected disability, or died
43	43	in the line of duty while on active or inactive duty for training purposes, the veteran
44	44	must have resided in this state for at least five consecutive years while an adult, or
45	45	2) if the veteran received at least a 30 percent service-connected disability rating,
46	46	the veteran must have resided in this state for at least five consecutive years
47	47	immediately before the veteran[s spouse or child registers at a UW System school or
48	48	technical college. In addition, if a veteran was not a resident of this state when he
49	49	or she entered military service, the veteran[s spouse or child is eligible for tuition
50	50	and fee remission only if the spouse or child has resided in this state for at least five
51	51	consecutive years immediately before the spouse[s or child[s enrollment in a UW
52	52	System school or technical college.
53	53	This bill eliminates the five-year durational residency requirement for
54	54	veterans and their spouses and children under the tuition and fee remission
55	55	program under circumstances in which the veteran was not a resident of this state
56	56	when he or she entered military service. Under the bill, if the veteran was not a
57	57	resident of this state when he or she entered military service, the veteran is still
58	58	eligible for the tuition and fee remission program if the veteran is a resident of this
59	59	state immediately before the veteran registers at a UW System school or technical
60	60	college. Also under the bill, if the veteran was not a resident of this state when he
61	61	or she entered military service, the veteran[s spouse and children are still eligible
62	62	for the tuition and fee remission program if the spouse or child resided in this state
63	63	immediately before the spouse or child registers at a UW System school or technical
64	64	college and if the veteran, as described in 1), above, resided in this state at any time
65	65	while an adult or the veteran, as described in 2), above, resided in this state
66	66	immediately before the veteran[s spouse or child registers at a UW System school or
67	67	technical college. If the applicable requirements for fee remission are met, the
68	68	veteran or the veteran[s spouse or child is eligible for fee remission regardless of
69	69	whether the veteran or veteran[s spouse or child would otherwise qualify as a
70	70	resident student for tuition or fee purposes.
71	71	For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be
72	72	printed as an appendix to this bill.
73	73	The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
74	74	enact as follows:
75	75	SECTION 1. 36.27 (3n) (a) 1m. a. of the statutes is amended to read:
76	76	36.27 (3n) (a) 1m. a. A person who has served on active duty under honorable
77	77	1
78	78	2 2025 - 2026 Legislature
79	79	ASSEMBLY BILL 47
80	80	- 3 - LRB-1779/1
81	81	ARG:cdc
82	82	SECTION 1
83	83	conditions in the U.S. armed forces, in forces incorporated as part of the U.S. armed
84	84	forces, in the national guard, or in a reserve component of the U.S. armed forces;
85	85	who was a resident of this state at the time of entry into that service or resided in
86	86	this state for at least 5 consecutive years after the person attained the age of 18; and
87	87	who, while a resident of this state, died on active duty, died as the result of a
88	88	service-connected disability, or died in the line of duty while on active or inactive
89	89	duty for training purposes.
90	90	SECTION 2. 36.27 (3n) (a) 1m. b. of the statutes is amended to read:
91	91	36.27 (3n) (a) 1m. b. A person who was a resident of this state at the time of
92	92	entry into service described in subd. 1m. a. or resided in this state for at least 5
93	93	consecutive years immediately preceding the beginning of any semester or session
94	94	for which the person[s spouse or child described in par. (b) 1., 2., or 3. registers at an
95	95	institution, and who the U.S. department of veteran affairs has awarded at least a
96	96	30 percent service-connected disability rating under 38 USC 1114 or 1134.
97	97	SECTION 3. 36.27 (3n) (a) 1r. of the statutes is created to read:
98	98	36.27 (3n) (a) 1r. XNonresident tuitionY has the meaning given in sub. (3p) (a)
99	99	1m.
100	100	SECTION 4. 36.27 (3n) (b) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
101	101	36.27 (3n) (b) (intro.) Except as provided in pars. (bd) and (bg), the board shall
102	102	grant full remission of nonresident tuition, academic fees, and segregated fees for
103	103	128 credits or 8 semesters, whichever is longer, less the number of credits or
104	104	semesters for which the person received remission of fees under s. 38.24 (7) or
105	105	tuition offsets under grants under s. 39.49 (2) (a) 1. and less the amount of any
106	106	1
107	107	2
108	108	3
109	109	4
110	110	5
111	111	6
112	112	7
113	113	8
114	114	9
115	115	10
116	116	11
117	117	12
118	118	13
119	119	14
120	120	15
121	121	16
122	122	17
123	123	18
124	124	19
125	125	20
126	126	21
127	127	22
128	128	23 2025 - 2026 Legislature
129	129	ASSEMBLY BILL 47
130	130	- 4 - LRB-1779/1
131	131	ARG:cdc
132	132	SECTION 4
133	133	nonresident tuition, academic fees, or segregated fees paid under 38 USC 3319, to
134	134	any resident student who maintains a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0
135	135	and is also any of the following:
136	136	SECTION 5. 36.27 (3n) (bd) of the statutes is amended to read:
137	137	36.27 (3n) (bd) If an eligible veteran was not a resident of this state at the
138	138	time of entry into service described in par. (a) 1m. a., the board may grant a
139	139	remission of nonresident tuition, academic fees, and segregated fees under this
140	140	subsection only if the eligible veteran[s spouse or child described in par. (b) 1., 2., or
141	141	3. has resided in this state for at least 5 consecutive years immediately preceding
142	142	the spouse[s or child[s enrollment in an institution.
143	143	SECTION 6. 36.27 (3n) (bg) of the statutes is amended to read:
144	144	36.27 (3n) (bg) Before the Board of Regents may grant a remission of
145	145	nonresident tuition, academic fees, and segregated fees under par. (b), the Board of
146	146	Regents shall require the resident student to apply to the payment of those fees all
147	147	educational assistance to which the resident student is entitled under 38 USC 3319.
148	148	If that educational assistance covers 100 percent of those fees for a credit or
149	149	semester, that credit or semester shall not count against the 128 credit or 8
150	150	semester limit provided in par. (b). If that educational assistance covers less than
151	151	100 percent of those fees for a credit or semester and the remission under par. (b)
152	152	covers the remainder of those fees, the credit or semester shall count against that
153	153	limit in the proportion that the remission bears to the total nonresident tuition,
154	154	academic fees, and segregated fees charged for that credit or semester. This
155	155	requirement applies notwithstanding the fact that the resident student may be
156	156	1
157	157	2
158	158	3
159	159	4
160	160	5
161	161	6
162	162	7
163	163	8
164	164	9
165	165	10
166	166	11
167	167	12
168	168	13
169	169	14
170	170	15
171	171	16
172	172	17
173	173	18
174	174	19
175	175	20
176	176	21
177	177	22
178	178	23 2025 - 2026 Legislature
179	179	ASSEMBLY BILL 47
180	180	- 5 - LRB-1779/1
181	181	ARG:cdc
182	182	SECTION 6
183	183	entitled to educational assistance under 10 USC 16132a, 10 USC 16163a, or 38
184	184	USC 3500 to 3566 as well as under 38 USC 3319, unless the resident student has 12
185	185	months or less of eligibility remaining for educational assistance under 10 USC
186	186	16132a, 10 USC 16163a, or 38 USC 3500 to 3566.
187	187	SECTION 7. 36.27 (3n) (bm) of the statutes is amended to read:
188	188	36.27 (3n) (bm) 1. For a resident student who is entitled to educational
189	189	assistance under 10 USC 16132a, 10 USC 16163a, or 38 USC 3500 to 3566 and
190	190	under 38 USC 3319, if the amount of educational assistance, not including
191	191	educational assistance for tuition, to which the resident student is entitled under 10
192	192	USC 16132a, 10 USC 16163a, or 38 USC 3500 to 3566 is greater than the amount of
193	193	educational assistance, not including educational assistance for tuition, that the
194	194	resident student received under 38 USC 3319, as determined by the higher
195	195	educational aids board, in the academic year the higher educational aids board
196	196	shall reimburse the resident student for the difference in those amounts of
197	197	educational assistance, as calculated by the higher educational aids board, from the
198	198	appropriation account under s. 20.235 (1) (fz). The higher educational aids board
199	199	shall make that determination and calculation in consultation with the Board of
200	200	Regents.
201	201	2. If in any fiscal year there are insufficient moneys available in the
202	202	appropriation account under s. 20.235 (1) (fz) to provide full reimbursement under
203	203	subd. 1. to all resident students who are eligible for that reimbursement, the higher
204	204	educational aids board and the Board of Regents shall reimburse those resident
205	205	students as provided in s. 39.50 (4).
206	206	1
207	207	2
208	208	3
209	209	4
210	210	5
211	211	6
212	212	7
213	213	8
214	214	9
215	215	10
216	216	11
217	217	12
218	218	13
219	219	14
220	220	15
221	221	16
222	222	17
223	223	18
224	224	19
225	225	20
226	226	21
227	227	22
228	228	23 2025 - 2026 Legislature
229	229	ASSEMBLY BILL 47
230	230	- 6 - LRB-1779/1
231	231	ARG:cdc
232	232	SECTION 8
233	233	SECTION 8. 36.27 (3n) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
234	234	36.27 (3n) (c) The higher educational aids board shall reimburse the board of
235	235	regents for all nonresident tuition, academic fees, and segregated fees remitted
236	236	under par. (b) as provided in s. 39.50 (1) and (3m).
237	237	SECTION 9. 36.27 (3p) (a) 1r. (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
238	238	36.27 (3p) (a) 1r. (intro.) XVeteranY means a person who is verified by the
239	239	department of veterans affairs as being a resident of this state for purposes of
240	240	receiving benefits under ch. 45; as being a resident of this state at the time of his or
241	241	her entry into the U.S. armed forces or forces incorporated in the U.S. armed forces
242	242	or as being a resident of this state for at least 5 consecutive years immediately
243	243	preceding the beginning of any semester or session for which the person registers at
244	244	an institution; and as meeting any of the following conditions:
245	245	SECTION 10. 38.24 (7) (a) 1m. a. of the statutes is amended to read:
246	246	38.24 (7) (a) 1m. a. A person who has served on active duty under honorable
247	247	conditions in the U.S. armed forces, in forces incorporated as part of the U.S. armed
248	248	forces, in the national guard, or in a reserve component of the U.S. armed forces;
249	249	who was a resident of this state at the time of entry into that service or resided in
250	250	this state for at least 5 consecutive years after the person attained the age of 18; and
251	251	who, while a resident of this state, died on active duty, died as the result of a
252	252	service-connected disability, or died in the line of duty while on active or inactive
253	253	duty for training purposes.
254	254	SECTION 11. 38.24 (7) (a) 1m. b. of the statutes is amended to read:
255	255	38.24 (7) (a) 1m. b. A person who was a resident of this state at the time of
256	256	1
257	257	2
258	258	3
259	259	4
260	260	5
261	261	6
262	262	7
263	263	8
264	264	9
265	265	10
266	266	11
267	267	12
268	268	13
269	269	14
270	270	15
271	271	16
272	272	17
273	273	18
274	274	19
275	275	20
276	276	21
277	277	22
278	278	23 2025 - 2026 Legislature
279	279	ASSEMBLY BILL 47
280	280	- 7 - LRB-1779/1
281	281	ARG:cdc
282	282	SECTION 11
283	283	entry into service described in subd. 1m. a. or resided in this state for at least 5
284	284	consecutive years immediately preceding the beginning of any semester or session
285	285	for which the person[s spouse or child described in par. (b) 1., 2., or 3. registers at a
286	286	technical college, and who the U.S. department of veteran affairs has awarded at
287	287	least a 30 percent service-connected disability rating under 38 USC 1114 or 1134.
288	288	SECTION 12. 38.24 (7) (a) 1p. of the statutes is amended to read:
289	289	38.24 (7) (a) 1p. XFeesY means the amount charged to a resident student
290	290	under sub. (1m) (a) to (c) to enroll in a course leading to an associate degree,
291	291	collegiate transfer, or vocational diploma. In the case of a distance education,
292	292	online, or other course for which the amount charged to enroll in the course equals
293	293	at least 100 percent of the cost of offering the course, XfeesY includes the regular fees
294	294	charged to a resident student under sub. (1m) (a) to (c) to enroll in the course and
295	295	any additional fees charged to that student under sub. (1m) (a) to (c) to enroll in that
296	296	course.
297	297	SECTION 13. 38.24 (7) (b) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
298	298	38.24 (7) (b) (intro.) Except as provided in pars. (bd) and (bg), the district
299	299	board shall grant full remission of fees for 128 credits or 8 semesters, whichever is
300	300	longer, less the number of credits or semesters for which the person received
301	301	remission of fees from any other district board under this subsection and from the
302	302	Board of Regents under s. 36.27 (3n) (b) and for which the person received tuition
303	303	offsets under grants under s. 39.49 (2) (a) 1. and less the amount of any fees paid
304	304	under 38 USC 3319, to any resident student who maintains a cumulative grade
305	305	point average of at least 2.0 and is also any of the following:
306	306	1
307	307	2
308	308	3
309	309	4
310	310	5
311	311	6
312	312	7
313	313	8
314	314	9
315	315	10
316	316	11
317	317	12
318	318	13
319	319	14
320	320	15
321	321	16
322	322	17
323	323	18
324	324	19
325	325	20
326	326	21
327	327	22
328	328	23 2025 - 2026 Legislature
329	329	ASSEMBLY BILL 47
330	330	- 8 - LRB-1779/1
331	331	ARG:cdc
332	332	SECTION 14
333	333	SECTION 14. 38.24 (7) (bd) of the statutes is amended to read:
334	334	38.24 (7) (bd) If an eligible veteran was not a resident of this state at the time
335	335	of entry into service described in par. (a) 1m. a., the district board may grant a
336	336	remission of academic fees and segregated fees under this subsection only if the
337	337	eligible veteran[s spouse or child described in par. (b) 1., 2., or 3. has resided in this
338	338	state for at least 5 consecutive years immediately preceding the spouse[s or child[s
339	339	enrollment in a technical college.
340	340	SECTION 15. 38.24 (7) (bg) of the statutes is amended to read:
341	341	38.24 (7) (bg) Before the district board may grant a remission of fees under
342	342	par. (b), the district board shall require the resident student to apply to the
343	343	payment of those fees all educational assistance to which the resident student is
344	344	entitled under 38 USC 3319. If that educational assistance covers 100 percent of
345	345	those fees for a credit or semester, that credit or semester shall not count against
346	346	the 128 credit or 8 semester limit provided in par. (b). If that educational assistance
347	347	covers less than 100 percent of those fees for a credit or semester and the remission
348	348	under par. (b) covers the remainder of those fees, the credit or semester shall count
349	349	against that limit in the proportion that the remission bears to the total fees
350	350	charged for that credit or semester. This requirement applies notwithstanding the
351	351	fact that the resident student may be entitled to educational assistance under 10
352	352	USC 16132a, 10 USC 16163a, or 38 USC 3500 to 3566 as well as under 38 USC
353	353	3319, unless the resident student has 12 months or less of eligibility remaining for
354	354	educational assistance under 10 USC 16132a, 10 USC 16163a, or 38 USC 3500 to
355	355	3566.
356	356	1
357	357	2
358	358	3
359	359	4
360	360	5
361	361	6
362	362	7
363	363	8
364	364	9
365	365	10
366	366	11
367	367	12
368	368	13
369	369	14
370	370	15
371	371	16
372	372	17
373	373	18
374	374	19
375	375	20
376	376	21
377	377	22
378	378	23 2025 - 2026 Legislature
379	379	ASSEMBLY BILL 47
380	380	- 9 - LRB-1779/1
381	381	ARG:cdc
382	382	SECTION 16
383	383	SECTION 16. 38.24 (7) (bm) of the statutes is amended to read:
384	384	38.24 (7) (bm) 1. For a resident student who is entitled to educational
385	385	assistance under 10 USC 16132a, 10 USC 16163a, or 38 USC 3500 to 3566 and
386	386	under 38 USC 3319, if the amount of educational assistance, other than educational
387	387	assistance for tuition, to which the resident student is entitled under 10 USC
388	388	16132a, 10 USC 16163a, or 38 USC 3500 to 3566 is greater than the amount of
389	389	educational assistance, other than educational assistance for tuition, that the
390	390	resident student received under 38 USC 3319, as determined by the higher
391	391	educational aids board, in the academic year the higher educational aids board
392	392	shall reimburse the resident student for the difference in those amounts of
393	393	educational assistance, as calculated by the higher educational aids board, from the
394	394	appropriation account under s. 20.235 (1) (fz). The higher educational aids board
395	395	shall make that determination and calculation in consultation with the board and
396	396	district board.
397	397	2. If in any fiscal year there are insufficient moneys available in the
398	398	appropriation account under s. 20.235 (1) (fz) to provide full reimbursement under
399	399	subd. 1. to all resident students who are eligible for that reimbursement, the higher
400	400	educational aids board and the district board shall reimburse those resident
401	401	students as provided in s. 39.50 (4).
402	402	SECTION 17. 38.24 (8) (a) 1r. (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
403	403	38.24 (8) (a) 1r. (intro.) XVeteranY means a person who is verified by the
404	404	department of veterans affairs as being a resident of this state for purposes of
405	405	receiving benefits under ch. 45; as being a resident of this state at the time of his or
406	406	1
407	407	2
408	408	3
409	409	4
410	410	5
411	411	6
412	412	7
413	413	8
414	414	9
415	415	10
416	416	11
417	417	12
418	418	13
419	419	14
420	420	15
421	421	16
422	422	17
423	423	18
424	424	19
425	425	20
426	426	21
427	427	22
428	428	23 2025 - 2026 Legislature
429	429	ASSEMBLY BILL 47
430	430	- 10 - LRB-1779/1
431	431	ARG:cdc
432	432	SECTION 17
433	433	her entry into the U.S. armed forces or forces incorporated in the U.S. armed forces
434	434	or as being a resident of this state for at least 5 consecutive years immediately
435	435	preceding the beginning of any semester or session for which the person registers at
436	436	a technical college; and as meeting any of the following conditions:
437	437	SECTION 18. Initial applicability.
438	438	(1) This act first applies to the first semester or session beginning after the
439	439	effective date of this subsection.
440	440	(END)
441	441	1
442	442	2
443	443	3
444	444	4
445	445	5
446	446	6
447	447	7
448	448	8