Green Bay Reporter

The new bill authored by State Rep. Benjamin Franklin in the Wisconsin Assembly seeks to establish a grant program that rewards probation and parole offices for improving employment rates among individuals under supervision, according to the Wisconsin State Assembly.

According to the Wisconsin State Legislature's official website, the bill was described as follows: "performance grants based on improving employment rates for individuals on probation, parole, or extended supervision. (FE)".

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill establishes a performance grant program requiring the Department of Corrections (DOC) to award grants to adult probation and parole offices based on the improvement of employment rates for individuals on probation, parole, or extended supervision. By averaging the annual employment rates from fiscal years 2021-22 to 2023-24, DOC creates a baseline employment rate for these individuals in each region. At the end of each fiscal year, DOC calculates the current employment rate, and if there is a positive difference from the baseline, the office receives a grant equal to this difference multiplied by the number of individuals served and $2,500. The funds must be used to provide employee bonuses. Additionally, DOC is tasked with developing outcome-based measures, assessing program effectiveness, and preparing annual reports for the legislature, which must include any relevant recommendations. These measures will track employment rates and other factors such as crime rates and program changes to ensure the transparency and efficacy of the grant program.

The bill was co-authored by Senator Eric Wimberger (Republican-2nd District), Representative Dean Kaufert (Republican-53rd District), Representative Daniel Knodl (Republican-24th District), Representative Jerry L. O'Connor (Republican-60th District), and Representative William Penterman (Republican-38th District). It was co-sponsored by Senator Rachael Cabral-Guevara (Republican-19th District).

Benjamin Franklin has co-authored or authored another 48 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.

Franklin graduated from Trident University International in 2020 with a BA.

Franklin, a Republican, was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2025 to represent the state's 88th Assembly district, replacing previous state representative John Macco.

In Wisconsin, the legislative process starts when a senator, constituent, group, or agency proposes an idea for a bill. After drafting, the bill is introduced, numbered, and referred to a committee for review and public input. If approved, it moves through three readings and votes in both the Senate and Assembly. Once both chambers pass the same version, the bill goes to the governor, who can sign it, veto it, or let it become law without a signature. Only a small share of bills introduced each session ultimately become law. You can learn more about the Wisconsin legislative process here.

Bill Number	Date Introduced	Short Description
AB297	05/30/2025	Performance grants based on improving employment rates for individuals on probation, parole, or extended supervision. (FE)
AB271	05/19/2025	Camera monitor systems as an alternative to mirrors for commercial motor vehicles
AB266	05/19/2025	The fee for filing limited liability company articles of organization with the Department of Financial Institutions. (FE)
AB184	04/15/2025	Coverage of individuals with preexisting conditions and benefit limits under health plans
AB176	04/15/2025	Financial eligibility for the Alzheimer’s family and caregiver support program. (FE)
AB82	02/28/2025	Exempting certain conveyances between grandparents and grandchildren from the real estate transfer fee. (FE)
AB74	02/28/2025	Parental notification of alleged sexual misconduct by a school staff member. (FE)
AB17	02/06/2025	Creating an employee ownership conversion costs tax credit, a deduction for capital gains from the transfer of a business to employee ownership, and an employee ownership education and outreach program. (FE)
AB6	02/04/2025	Requiring a school board to spend at least 70 percent of its operating expenditures on direct classroom expenditures and annual pay increases for school administrators. (FE)