TUE AM News: Bill would expand eligibility for child care portion of WEDC tax credit; Forward BIOLABS growing in Madison, expanding to Milwaukee and launching commercialization program

May 20, 2025

— Legislation authored by GOP lawmakers would expand eligibility for a state tax credit that encourages business investments in child care.

Sen. Howard Marklein of Spring Green and Rep. Karen Hurd of Withee recently circulated a co-sponsorship memo for the bill, which would change the child care portion of the WEDC Business Development Tax Credit. It would allow more activities to qualify, which authors say would give families more options and increase the number of available child care slots in the state.

Under current law, businesses can get a tax credit of up to 15% of their investment in establishing a child care program for employees, but that’s restricted to capital expenses, according to the memo.

“Unfortunately, we have heard that the current program parameters limit the incentive for businesses to invest in child care programs,” authors wrote. “While many businesses may want to provide child care as a benefit to employees, the current credit limitations reduce the incentive for this investment.”

Under the bill, the credit would apply to: capital expenditures to set up a child care program for employees; the cost of operating such a program; reimbursing employees for child care expenses; the cost of purchasing or reserving child care slots on behalf of employees; contributions to a dependent care flexible spending account; and any cost or expense of benefits provided to “facilitate the provision or utilization” of child care by employees.

The Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. would be authorized to certify certain nonprofit organizations to receive the business development tax credit for employee child care-related expenditures.

“While not a silver bullet, these changes are another step in the right direction to address the child care issue in Wisconsin,” authors wrote.

The co-sponsorship deadline is tomorrow at 5 p.m.

See the memo.

— Forward BIOLABS has announced plans to set up shop in Milwaukee and launch a statewide innovation program while expanding its presence in Madison.

The life sciences coworking space says it will add more chemistry capabilities as well as more equipment for the early-stage biotech startups that call its Madison facility home. It’s located in the MG&E Innovation Center at University Research Park, which houses nearly three dozen businesses including major companies including Exact Sciences.

Aaron Olver, managing director of URP and president of the board for Forward BIOLABS, says the coworking space is “an essential anchor for the next generation of biohealth start-ups, and our life sciences ecosystem more broadly, in Wisconsin.”

Forward BIOLABS’ new “biohealth startup hub” will be set up in the UW-Milwaukee Innovation Accelerator, which also includes BioForward Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Biohealth Tech Hub. Its development will be overseen by a dedicated advisory group, yesterday’s release shows.

Meanwhile, BioForward and the coworking space are creating the Innovation to Commercialization Pipeline program, which aims to help biohealth startups across Wisconsin bring their innovations to market.

Through the program, companies will be able to apply for support that’s meant to de-risk the process of scaling up and bringing in more investment. It’s part of the broader tech hub effort to address gaps in capital access and commercialization challenges for the biohealth industry, according to the announcement.

“In joining forces with BioForward on the statewide ICP program, we are adding to the continuum of support for young, high-potential biohealth companies by providing pivotal resources to bolster capital attraction and scalability,” Forward BIOLABS CEO Jessica Martin Eckerly said in a statement.

See the release.

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— Modine is putting $38 million into expanding production of cooling machinery for data centers, the Racine company announced.

The planned expansion of one of its Mississippi manufacturing facilities will run through the end of 2028, creating more than 450 jobs, the release shows. Along with boosting production of its data center chillers, Modine is upgrading testing facilities for these machines. The company says chiller production is expected to begin at the facility later this summer.

Neil Brinker, company CEO and president, says the project is part of an effort to “evolve our portfolio” for long-term growth.

“By repurposing the facility to meet demand from hyperscale and co-location data center customers, we’re well-positioned to capture opportunities in our strategic growth markets,” Brinker said in a statement.

See more details in the release.

— UW-Stout says a new $647,000 grant from WEDC will enable it to “fully build out” its Center for Advanced Manufacturing and AI.

CAM-AI, which was created last year, will offer support for advanced manufacturing and AI activities to small- and medium-sized manufacturers with the funding from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp.

The grant will go toward new equipment at the center and a new automated demonstration line for showcasing automation, robotics and more. UW-Stout says the center will be able to serve about 20 companies and more than 100 students per year.

“This investment will enable UW-Stout to expand its delivery of cutting-edge, industry-focused support and services to small- and medium-sized businesses throughout the state,” Chancellor Katherine Frank said in a statement.

See the release.

— A pair of Canadian mayors in Milwaukee for the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative say strong relationships with their American counterparts are more critical now than ever.

“I’ve never been to Milwaukee, but to be here and to recognize just how much of the economy is focused on the waterfront and not just the traditional shipping that we think of, but the tourism activity that exists and the livability of communities, we’re all sharing the exact same issues,” Matthew Siscoe said, mayor of St. Catharines, Ontario, told WISN’s “UpFront,” produced in partnership with WisPolitics.

“The region counts for about 50% of our bilateral commerce,” added Catherine Vallieres-Roland, the deputy mayor of Quebec City. “It’s a lot, and I would say that our partnership at the municipal level has never been as strong than before. So we count on those relationships that we build through the cities initiative that has been proven, very effective. And so we continue working together.”

Siscoe said the potential impact of tariffs could be “massive and damaging” not only for Canada but also for the U.S. as well.

“I think what has happened in the last couple of months creates some anxiety in our population,” Vallieres-Roland said. “But I would say that our relationship is very strong and it is based on history, and so when we talk to our American friends, we don’t feel any change.”

See more from the show.

— The Wisconsin Motor Carriers Association has announced Dan Johnson will take over as president after current leader Neal Kedzie steps down later this month.

Kedzie is a former GOP lawmaker. Johnson has been vice president of the group since 2014 and previously worked in the state Legislature in various positions including Senate chief of staff for Kedzie. He will begin as president of the association on June 2.

“Neal has been a strong and effective voice for Wisconsin’s trucking industry, and we thank him for his many contributions,” the group said in a statement. “We wish him the very best in his well-earned retirement.”

Wisconsin lets a company it criticized buy a public nursing home

Racine manufacturer to invest $38M in chiller manufacturing, add 450 jobs

TOPICS

AGRIBUSINESS

– Support grows for farmland and water funding

– Survey finds Wisconsin farmers value sustainable practices

BIOTECH

– Forward BIOLABS announces location of new Milwaukee-area office

CONSTRUCTION

– Demolition planned to make way for Bronzeville arts center

FOOD & BEVERAGE

– At Cafe MiMi, take out tteokbokki and kimbap near West High