WisconsinApplicants can seek grants for commercial driver training they fund
The law allows applicants with a Wisconsin facility to seek grants for another provider's training of Wisconsin residents, with license-date rules and one grant per trainee.
What it does
Applicants with a Wisconsin facility can seek grants for training they pay another provider to deliver. For applicants that do not provide training themselves, trainees must earn their first Wisconsin commercial driver's license after this provision takes effect.
Applicants must have at least one facility in Wisconsin. Training can take place outside the state, while Wisconsin residency, licensing, and federal training requirements still apply.
The Department of Workforce Development can award only one grant for each trainee. Multiple applicants cannot each receive a grant for training the same person.
Argument forAllowing applicants to pay another provider could help organizations fund Wisconsin residents' driver training without operating their own training school.
Argument againstThe one-grant limit could leave a second organization that helps pay for the same driver's training without a grant.
More detail
Applicants can seek commercial driver training grants for training they provide or pay another provider to deliver. The Department of Workforce Development's program covers Wisconsin residents who earn their first commercial driver's license in Wisconsin. Training must meet federal entry-level driver training standards, and the provider must be on the federal Training Provider Registry. Applicants must have at least one Wisconsin facility. For training-provider applicants, trainees must earn the license after March 23, 2024. For other applicants, they must earn it after this provision's effective date, which is not specified.
Grant applicants must have at least one Wisconsin facility, but training can take place outside Wisconsin. These location rules apply to applicants for commercial driver training grants. Training must meet federal standards, and the provider must be on the federal Training Provider Registry. Trainees must live in Wisconsin and obtain their first commercial driver's license in Wisconsin after the required date.
The Department of Workforce Development cannot award more than one grant for the same trainee. The limit applies to each person trained under the commercial driver training grant program, regardless of who applies.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 6Published 4-3-2026Latest
- Apr 6Report approved by the Governor Tony Evers on 4-2-2026. 2025 Wisconsin Act 159Became Law
- Apr 2Presented to the Governor on 4-2-2026To Governor
- Mar 19Representative Emerson added as a cosponsor
- Mar 18Representative Doyle added as a cosponsor
- Mar 6Representative Brown added as a cosponsor
- Feb 26Report correctly enrolledMinor
- Feb 18Received from Assembly concurred inMinor
- Feb 17Ordered immediately messaged
- Feb 17Read a third time and concurred inPassed House
- Feb 17Rules suspended
- Feb 17Ordered to a third readingMinor
- Feb 17Read a second timeMinor
- Feb 17Rules suspended to withdraw from calendar and take upMajor
- Feb 16Representative Ortiz-Velez added as a cosponsor
- Feb 13Withdrawn from Committee on Rules and referred to calendar of 2-17-2026Minor
- Feb 13Read first time and referred to committee on RulesMinor
- Feb 12Received from SenateMinor
- Feb 11Ordered immediately messaged
- Feb 11Read a third time and passedPassed Senate
- Feb 11Rules suspended to give bill its third reading
- Feb 11Ordered to a third readingMinor
- Feb 11Read a second timeMinor
- Feb 11Senators Ratcliff, Spreitzer, Drake and Smith added as coauthors
- Feb 9Placed on calendar 2-11-2026 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Feb 9Fiscal estimate receivedMinor
- Feb 4Available for scheduling
- Vote recorded Report passage recommended by Committee on Transportation and Local Government, Ayes 5, Noes 0. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 4Report passage recommended by Committee on Transportation and Local Government, Ayes 5, Noes 0Minor
- Feb 4Executive action taken
- Jan 22Representative Tucker added as a cosponsor
- Jan 20Public hearing held
- 2025
- Dec 12Read first time and referred to Committee on Transportation and Local GovernmentMinor
- Dec 12Introduced by Senators Wimberger and Marklein; cosponsored by Representatives Pronschinske, Kreibich, Melotik and PentermanIntroduced
TransportationEconomy & Jobs