Bill to provide apprenticeship tuition tax break heads to Evers’ desk

A bill that would provide a tax break for apprenticeship tuition earned the support of the state Senate and Assembly this week and is now on its way to Gov. Tony Evers’ desk.

The legislation, Senate Bill 125, passed the Senate and Assembly on a pair of mostly party-line votes earlier this week. It would give workers or their families a tax break for tuition paid for apprenticeships that are recognized by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. Apprenticeship tuition, unlike other forms of tuition, currently isn’t tax deductible.

Sen. Andre Jacque, R-De Pere, introduced the bill in February after a previous version of the proposal earned the state Assembly’s support in the state’s previous legislative session only to fail to get a vote in the state Senate.

The state Senate passed the bill on a 19-13 party-line vote on Monday, and the state Assembly approved it the following day with a 60-35 vote. Democrat Deb Andraca, of Whitefish Bay, was the only member of her party to support the measure.

Various labor unions stood opposed to the proposal, including Construction Business Group, and unions representing carpenters, electricians, operators and laborers. Support meanwhile came from groups such as the Wisconsin Builders Association, Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin and the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce.

The legislation would provide a state tax break to apprentices or their families starting next tax season. The break could apply to about 14,000 apprentices who are enrolled in programs through the Wisconsin Technical College System or an employer-sponsored program.

State officials estimate that the legislation could reduce tax collections by about $925,000 a year in Wisconsin. Follow @natebeck9