Wis. Stat. § 16.047 — WI Code / Chapter 16 / Section 16.047
Volkswagen settlement funds.
Status: in_force

(1) Definitions. In this section:

(a) “Settlement funds” means moneys allocated to this state from the environmental mitigation trust specified in par. (d) and received by the state from the trustee.

(b) “Settlement guidelines” means the eligible mitigation actions established under the partial consent decree specified in par. (d) and all other partial consent decrees entered in the federal court case specified in par. (d) under which this state receives settlement funds.

(c) “State agency” has the meaning given in s. 20.001 (1) .

(d) “Trustee” means the trustee of the environmental mitigation trust required to be established under the partial consent decree entered on October 25, 2016, by the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, San Francisco Division, Case No: MDL No. 2672 CRB (JSC).

(2) Replacement of state vehicles.

(a) From the appropriation under s. 20.855 (4) (h) , the department may use settlement funds for the payment of all costs incurred in accordance with the settlement guidelines to replace vehicles in the state fleet.

(b) Any use of settlement funds under par. (a) shall take precedence over any distribution under sub. (4m) .

(3) State agency lapses. If the department replaces a state agency’s vehicle under sub. (2) (a) , the secretary may calculate the general purpose revenue or program revenue savings for the state agency resulting from expenditures under s. 20.855 (4) (h) and may lapse to the general fund from the state agency’s general purpose revenue or program revenue appropriations the amount calculated.

(4m) Transit capital assistance grants.

(a) In this subsection:

1. “Eligible applicant” has the meaning given in s. 85.20 (1) (b) .

2. “Public transit vehicle” means any vehicle used for providing transportation service to the general public that is eligible for replacement under the settlement guidelines.

(b) The department shall establish a program to award grants of settlement funds from the appropriation under s. 20.855 (4) (h) to eligible applicants for the replacement of public transit vehicles. Any eligible applicant may apply for a grant under the program.

(c) The department shall award grants under this subsection on a competitive basis and shall give preference to the replacement of public transit vehicles in communities or on routes that the department determines are critical for the purpose of connecting employees with employers.

(d) An eligible applicant may use settlement funds awarded under this subsection only for the payment of costs incurred by the eligible applicant to replace public transit vehicles in accordance with the settlement guidelines.

(4s) School bus replacement grants.

(a) In this subsection:

1. “School board” has the meaning given in s. 115.001 (7) .

2. “School bus” has the meaning given in s. 121.51 (4) .

(b) The department shall establish a program to award grants of settlement funds from the appropriation under s. 20.855 (4) (h) to school boards for the replacement of school buses owned and operated by the school boards with school buses that are energy efficient, including school buses that use alternative fuels. Any school board may apply for a grant under the program.

(c) As a condition of receiving a grant under this subsection, the school board shall provide matching funds equal to the amount of the grant award.

(d) A school board may use settlement funds awarded under this subsection only for the payment of costs incurred by the school board to replace school buses in accordance with the settlement guidelines.

(5) Sunset. This section does not apply after June 30, 2027.

History: 2017 a. 59 ; 2019 a. 9 ; Bartlett v. Evers, 2020 WI 68, ¶¶ 4, 9, 393 Wis. 2d 172, 945 N.W.2d 685, 19-1376 .