Hearing set on rules related to energy efficiency expenditures

MADISON — The Department of Public Instruction will conduct a hearing from 2:30 to 4 p.m. July 19 at department headquarters, GEF 3, Room P41, 125 South Webster Street, Madison, to take public testimony on proposed changes to administrative rules related to energy efficiency expenditures.

Passage of 2017 Wisconsin Act 59, the 2017-19 state budget bill, requires changes to PI 15. The state budget bill rescinded regulations that allowed school boards to adopt a resolution to use a revenue limit exemption for energy efficiency projects. The prohibition on school board resolutions for this purpose was effective Dec. 31, 2017, and extends until December 3018. The emergency and proposed permanent rules will create flexibility for school boards in carrying out energy efficiency project resolutions passed before Jan. 1, 2018, and specify that school districts may spend less than but not greater than the maximum levy specified in an energy efficiency resolution adopted before the enactment of Act 59 without incurring revenue limit penalties.

Written comments on the emergency and proposed permanent rules may be made via the department’s form for submitting public comment. Questions or additional testimony on the proposed rules may be sent by e-mail to the department’s administrative rules coordinator or by U.S. mail to Carl Bryan, administrative rules coordinator, 125 South Webster Street, P.O. Box 7841, Madison, WI 53707-7841.

Written comments received no later than July 30 will be given the same consideration as testimony presented at the hearing. The emergency and proposed permanent rules are available on the Wisconsin Legislature's Clearinghouse Rules site.