MADISON, Wis. (WRN) — Wisconsin lawmakers are advancing a bill that would overhaul eligibility for race based higher education programs.
The Republican-authored bill prohibits using race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or religion to determine eligibility, replacing them with a broader “disadvantaged” category based on economic or personal hardship. An Assembly committee approved the bill on a six‑to‑five vote Tuesday. If it becomes law, the changes would affect minority‑focused loans, grants, and enrollment programs across the UW System, technical colleges, and several private institutions.
It needs to pass in the Republican controlled Assembly and Senate before heading to Democratic Governor Tony Evers’ desk.