Madison – Representative Barbara Dittrich (R-Oconomowoc) received strong Assembly support with the passage of Assembly Bill (AB) 750 on Thursday afternoon’s floor session. The bill will empower Wisconsin technical colleges to work with local police and fire services to address critical workforce shortages in protective services.
“As a member of the Waukesha County Technical College District Board, I see firsthand the barriers our colleges face in training the next generation of first responders,” said Representative Barbara Dittrich. “AB 750 allows district boards to prioritize program spaces for sponsored district students in law enforcement, EMT, paramedic, and firefighting fields—without needing approval from the Technical College System Board.”
This bill removes an arbitrary and capricious admission rule that has delayed completion of coursework for sponsored candidates with jobs awaiting them. These impediments have proven to be harmful to our communities and have also resulted in a loss of qualified candidates.
“For too long, these workforce shortages have strained our public safety systems,” Dittrich reiterated. “There is no good reason AB 750 should not be codified, making our technical colleges more responsive to this need and putting first responders on the job more expeditiously in our communities.”
AB 750 now goes to the State Senate for consideration.
State Representative Barbara Dittrich (R- Oconomowoc) is in her fourth term in the Wisconsin State Assembly, now serving the 99th Assembly District, which includes much of Waukesha County’s Lake Country Area as well as portions of Jefferson and Dodge Counties. Representative Dittrich serves as Chair of the Assembly Committee on Insurance.
