Beaver Dam Lake, Wisconsin. Photo by Dave Hoefler on Unsplash.
Wisconsin's Senate Bill 856 and the identical Assembly Bill 857 would, if enacted, create a program to award "scholarships to resident students who are enrolled in an institution of higher education [in Wisconsin] and who are engaged in studies directly related to programs preparing the students for careers in occupational areas addressing or responding to climate change."
The bills would provide $5 million biennially to fund the scholarships. The scholarships would be capped at $5000 per student per year; half of the scholarships would be awarded on the basis of academic merit and half on the basis of financial need.
Senate Bill 856 was introduced on January 15, 2026, by Jeff Smith (D-District 31) and others, and referred to the Senate Committee on Universities and Technical Colleges; Assembly Bill 857 was introduced on January 16, 2026, by Jill Billings (D-District 95) and others, and referred to the Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities.
