Madison Reporter

The new bill authored by State Rep. Francesca Hong seeks to establish a grant program supporting school districts in hiring mental health professionals from racial minority groups, according to the Wisconsin State Assembly.

According to the Wisconsin State Legislature's official website, the bill was described as follows: "grants to hire school mental health professionals who are members of a racial minority group, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation. (FE)".

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

In essence, this bill requires the Department of Public Instruction to establish and manage a grant program for school districts to hire school mental health professionals from racial minority groups. It defines a racial minority group to include individuals who are Black American, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Hispanic, or of Asian or Pacific Island origin, as well as those with multiracial ancestry. The bill allocates $5 million for each of the 2025-26 and 2026-27 fiscal years for these grants. The department is granted rule-making authority to implement the program, and the act will take effect the day after publication or the second day after the publication of the 2025 biennial budget act, whichever is later.

The bill was co-authored by Senator LaTonya Johnson (Democrat-6th District), Representative Margaret Arney (Democrat-18th District), Representative Mike Bare (Democrat-80th District), Representative Brienne Brown (Democrat-43rd District), Representative Ryan M. Clancy (Democrat-19th District). It was co-sponsored by Senator Tim Carpenter (Democrat-3rd District), Senator Dora E. Drake (Democrat-4th District), and Senator Dianne H. Hesselbein (Democrat-27th District), along 25 other co-sponsors.

Francesca Hong has co-authored or authored another 38 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with all of them being adopted.

Hong, a Democrat, was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2021 to represent the state's 76th Assembly district, replacing previous state representative Chris Taylor.

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
AB342	07/08/2025	Grants to hire school mental health professionals who are members of a racial minority group, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation. (FE)
AB341	07/08/2025	Grants for prospective school social workers, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation. (FE)
AB339	07/08/2025	Aid for comprehensive school mental health services and making an appropriation. (FE)
AB337	07/08/2025	Training to address student mental health and making an appropriation. (FE)
AB57	02/24/2025	Requirements concerning assistance in the detention of individuals who are or are alleged to be not lawfully present in the United States
AB48	02/17/2025	Providing state aid to reimburse public and private schools that provide free meals to all pupils for the costs of those meals and making an appropriation. (FE)