Highlights from Governor Evers Proposed State Budget

Governor Evers introduced his 2019-21 state budget on Thursday. We are still analyzing the nearly 600-page executive budget document , but highlights so far include:

General Education

General School Aids and Fair Funding Proposal: Provides an additional $618,822,000 in general schools aids for the biennium. The Governor also proposes changes to the way state aid calculations are made and restores two-thirds state funding for schools. The Governor also increases the revenue limit and proposes indexing it to inflation.

Return to Work for Retired Teachers: Allows  districts to rehire a retired annuitant teacher if: (a) at least 30 days have passed since the teacher left employment with a district; (b) at the time of retirement, the teacher does not have an agreement with any school district to return to employment; and (c) upon returning to work, the teacher elects to not become a participating employee and to continue receiving his or her annuity.

School Libraries, Reading and Ed Tech

Personal Electronic Computing Device Grants: The Governor recommends eliminating grants for personal electronic computing devices in Fiscal Year 2021.  

TEACH Program: The Governor Proposes eliminating the educational technology training and technology curriculum grants. He also proposes several other changes to TEACH, including: extending the information technology infrastructure block grant program to June 30, 2021, at $3 million annually; and modifying current law to ensure that the department has the most accurate data when determining eligibility for the information technology infrastructure block grant awards.

Reinstatement of State Media Lab Funding: Restores State Funding to the media lab run by the Educational Communications Board. The Governor also recommends permitting the board to procure or publish instructional material related to the programs of the state educational radio and television network, and to establish a reasonable handling charge to cover the costs of providing such material.

Library Service Contracts:  Provides an additional $ 133,200 in the first year of the biennium and $ 168,100 in the second year of the biennium to fully fund the library service contracts.

BadgerLink and Newsline for the Blind: Provides an additional $345,800 in the second year of the biennium to fully fund BadgerLink contracts and Newsline for the Blind.

Deposit of Settlement Funds:  Repeals statutory language changes made in 2017 Wisconsin Act 369 requiring the Attorney General to deposit all settlement funds into the general fund. However, the budget creates a new appropriation for the deposit of discretionary settlement funds, which may be used by the Department of Justice at the discretion of the Attorney General.

Wisconsin Reading Corps:  Provides $700,000 in each year of the biennium for the Wisconsin Reading Corps. The program provides one-on-one literacy tutoring for students. Funding for the program is currently set to expire on June 20, 2019. The Governor is requesting that the program continue.

Public Libraries

Public Library System Aid: Provides an additional $2.5 million in funding for public libraries in the first year of the biennium and an additional $4 million in the second year of the biennium.

Recollection Wisconsin: Supports public library digital archiving efforts by expanding WISELearn authority.

Broadband

Broadband Expansion Funding: Increases expenditure authority for the  broadband expansion grant program to $39.3 million in each year of the biennium, including: (a) a minimum of $2 million annually in funding that is already budgeted from the universal service fund; (b) a transfer of $6.9 million in FY20 and $17.3 million in FY21 from the Department of Administration e-rate funds; and (c)an allocation of $30.4 million GPR in FY20 and $20 million GPR in FY21 to the grant program. The Governor also recommends increasing expenditure and position authority to provide an additional position in the State Broadband Office to assist with the expanded broadband expansion grant program.

Initiatives to Expand Broadband: Includes several initiatives to encourage the expansion of adequate broadband access to all Wisconsin residents, including: (a) modifying current law to specify that it is the goal of the State of Wisconsin that by 2025 all homes and businesses within the state have access to high-speed broadband that provides a minimum download speed of at least 25 megabits per second and an upload speed of at least 3 megabits per second; (b) modifying current law to adjust the definition of broadband "underserved" as an area that lacks access to service of download speeds of at least 25 megabits per second and upload speeds of at least 3 megabits per second and "unserved" as an area that lacks access to service of download speeds of at least 10 megabits per second and upload speeds of at least 1 megabit per second; and (c) modifying several statutory provisions that discourage municipalities from providing broadband service to residents in broadband "unserved" and "underserved" areas.

Transfer of E-Rate Funds to the Broadband Expansion Grant Program: Transfers $6.9 million in FY20 and $17.3 million in FY21 in federal e-rate funds to the Broadband Expansion Grant Program at the Public Service Commission.

Comprehensive Broadband Report:  Directs the Department of Administration and the Public Service Commission to submit a joint report to the Governor and the Legislature, no later than June 30, 2020, that provides updates on emerging broadband technologies, recommendations on how to provide incentives to telecommunications providers to serve unserved or underserved areas of Wisconsin and proposals on how existing state resources can be leveraged to serve those areas.

Secretary of State and State Treasurer

New Resources for the Secretary of State: Provides funding for the Secretary of State to hire a new records management specialist position for the office.

New Resources and Roles for the State Treasurer: Provides an additional $662,100 to allow the Treasurer to hire three new staff: a chief of staff, financial specialist and constituent services and scheduling specialist. The Governor also recommends naming the State Treasurer to the private sector retirement security plan committee and the student loan refinancing study committee.

Moves Secretary of State and State Treasurer Offices: Provides funding to move the offices of the Secretary of State and State Treasurer to a new location. They are currently located in the basement of the Capitol.