Bills to Watch: Oct. 18

AB-456/SB-409

School Consolidation Feasibility Studies

This bill, co-authored by Rep. Joel Kitchens, would authorize grants of up to $10,000 to school districts to be used for a professional financial analysis of how school-district consolidation or entering into a whole grade sharing agreement would affect the school districts. 

“The decision to consolidate is nearly always a painful one for a community,” Kitchens said in a press release. “Very often a community’s identity is closely tied to [its] schools. We understand, however, that for academic and financial reasons, consolidation may be the best option for some school districts. We also recognize that because of travel distances, consolidation is not a viable choice for other small districts. This needs to be a local decision, but we want to give schools the tools they need if they ultimately decide to explore that possibility.” 

There are Assembly and Senate versions of the bill, both of which are in their respective Committees on Education. 

AB-325/SB-295

Green Bay Harbor Assistance Grant

The State Assembly passed the measure that provides $1.2 million in funds to the City of Green Bay to help move the coal piles on the Fox River. The funds are part of the Harbor Assistance Grant Program administered through the Department of Transportation. The bill is now with the Senate for consideration.