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WI AB342

WI AB342
Grants to hire school mental health professionals who are members of a racial minority group, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation. (FE)


summary

Introduced
07/08/2025
In Committee
07/08/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead

Introduced Session

2025-2026 Regular Session

Bill Summary

Under this bill, the Department of Public Instruction must establish and administer a grant program to award grants to school districts to hire school mental health professionals who are members of a racial minority group. The bill appropriates $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27 for the grants. For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

AI Summary

This bill establishes a grant program administered by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to provide financial support to school districts for hiring school mental health professionals from racial minority groups. The bill defines racial minority groups to include Black Americans, American Indians or Alaskan Natives, Hispanics, individuals of Asian or Pacific Island origin, and those with multiracial ancestry. The legislation appropriates $5,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27 to fund these grants, and allows the DPI to create rules for implementing the program. The purpose appears to be increasing diversity among school mental health professionals and improving mental health support in educational settings by providing targeted funding to hire professionals from underrepresented racial groups. The bill will take effect on the day after publication, or the second day after the publication of the 2025 biennial budget act, whichever is later, ensuring a structured and timely implementation of the grant program.

Committee Categories

Education

Sponsors (36)

Margaret Arney (D)* Mike Bare (D)* Brienne Brown (D)* Ryan Clancy (D)* Karen DeSanto (D)* Ben DeSmidt (D)* Joan Fitzgerald (D)* Russell Goodwin (D)* Kalan Haywood (D)* Francesca Hong (D)* Alex Joers (D)* Tara Johnson (D)* Darrin Madison (D)* Vincent Miresse (D)* Supreme Moore Omokunde (D)* Greta Neubauer (D)* Lori Palmeri (D)* Christian Phelps (D)* Pricilla Prado (D)* Amaad Rivera-Wagner (D)* Ann Roe (D)* Christine Sinicki (D)* Angela Stroud (D)* Shelia Stubbs (D)* Angelito Tenorio (D)* Randy Udell (D)* Robyn Vining (D)* Tim Carpenter (D),  Dora Drake (D),  Dianne Hesselbein (D),  LaTonya Johnson (D),  Sarah Keyeski (D),  Chris Larson (D),  Melissa Ratcliff (D),  Jeff Smith (D),  Bob Wirch (D), 

Last Action

Fiscal estimate received (on 07/24/2025)

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