An Act to amend 38.14 (2) (d) 1. of the statutes; Relating to: technical collegesâ lease of their facilities to others. (FE)
Summary
SB26 would amend Wisconsin law governing technical college district boards’ authority to lease facilities. Under current law, technical colleges generally may not enter into leases of their facilities to others for school purposes after June 30, 1999, although they may rent property not needed for school purposes. This bill creates a narrow exception to that prohibition by allowing a technical college, with approval from the Technical College System Board, to lease its facilities for the operation of a child care center.
The bill is focused on expanding the permissible uses of technical college space to support child care services. It does not broadly reopen facility leasing for all school purposes; instead, it limits the new authority to child care centers and applies only to leases entered into on or after the effective date. The measure would therefore affect technical college districts, the Technical College System Board, and any outside entities seeking to operate child care programs in college facilities.
Impact
SB26 would amend section 38.14 (2) (d) 1. of the Wisconsin statutes to carve out a specific exception to the existing ban on post-1999 leases of technical college facilities for school purposes. The practical effect is to authorize technical college district boards, with Technical College System Board approval, to lease facilities to third parties for child care center operations. This could facilitate child care availability on or near campuses and create a new legal use for otherwise restricted college facilities.
Sentiment
The available record shows little direct debate or recorded voting activity on SB26, so there is no strong evidence of controversy or broad opposition in the materials provided. The bill’s subject matter suggests a generally supportive policy goal—expanding child care access through use of public educational facilities—but the absence of committee transcripts and votes limits the ability to gauge detailed legislative sentiment. The bill ultimately failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1.
Contention
The main policy tension in SB26 is between preserving the long-standing restriction on technical college facility leases for school purposes and creating a targeted exception for child care centers. Supporters would likely view the bill as a practical way to increase child care capacity and make better use of public facilities, while any critics might worry about reopening a previously closed leasing authority or about operational, liability, or governance issues associated with outside use of college property. Because no committee discussion or vote record is provided, specific positions by legislators or stakeholders are not documented in the materials.