Government Relations
Legislative Update
March 7, 2003
Joint Finance Committee Hearings
The Legislature's Joint Finance Committee will hold six public hearings on the biennial budget bill (SB-44). All hearings will begin at 10 a.m. and run until 5 p.m.
The dates and locations of the hearings are:
- Monday, March 24: Rhinelander. James William Junior High School, 915 Acacia Lane.
- Tuesday, March 25: Menasha. Menasha High School Auditorium, 420 7th St.
- Monday, March 31: Milwaukee. Washington High School, 2525 North Sherman Blvd.
- Thursday, April 3: River Falls. River Falls High School, 818 Cemetery Road.
- Tuesday, April 8: Platteville. UW-Platteville Center for the Arts, 1 University Plaza.
- Wednesday, April 9: Madison. Room 412-E, State Capitol.
Regents to hold listening sessions
The Board of Regents will hold a number of listening sessions this month to get feedback from students, faculty, parents, alumni, community leaders and others about how budget cuts could affect their campuses and communities.
The first two sessions are scheduled for Tuesday (March 11) in Eau Claire and Thursday (March 13) in Green Bay. The session at Eau Claire will be webcast during the session. Check the UW-Eau Claire home page for information on how to listen. Additional sessions are planned for later in the month and will be announced next week.
Upcoming Hearings
Assembly Committee on Budget Review meets in Room 328 Northwest - State Capitol on Tuesday, March 25 at 1:00 p.m. to discuss UW-Extension: Organization, Responsibilities and Budget (briefing).
Assembly Task Force on State Budget Review Recommendations Issued
The Assembly Speaker's Task Force on State Budget Review released a 16-page list of proposals to cut state spending, streamline some operations, and increase accountability. The work of the panel continued this session as the Assembly Committee on Budget Review. A number of the provisions affect the UW System. Click to link to report on The Wheeler Report Website. These recommendations were reported to Assembly Speaker John Gard for consideration. Some may be introduced as separate legislation, some may be sent to individual committees for further review and some may be raised in the budget process.
Gaming Compact
President Katharine C. Lyall and Regent
President
Guy Gottschalk sent a letter to DOA Secretary Marc
Marotta
Friday (March 7) regarding a provision relating to
the
University of Wisconsin System contained in the Forest
County Potawatomi Gaming Compact signed by Governor
Doyle on February 19. Lyall and Gottschalk are requesting
more information on the intent and impact of replacing
general purpose revenue with gaming revenue in the
university
budget. The letter is attached.
Click
to view letter.
Floor Session
The Senate is scheduled to convene on March 13 and the Assembly is scheduled to convene on March 11 and 13.
Legislation Circulated for Co-Sponsorship
LRB 0647/3 (Kreibich/Schultz) The proposal would require increasing the number of members of the UW System Board of Regents to 19. Future regents would have to be selected from 16 regions across the state (based on technical college districts). Further, the bill would add to the board a governor-appointed non-traditional student, at least 24 years old, to represent the view of non-traditional students, such as those who are employed or who are parents. The traditional student and the State Superintendent of Public Instruction would remain on the board.
LRB 0615/1 (Kreibich) This bill prohibits smoking in, and within 25 feet of, UW System residence halls and dormitories. The bill also provides that no person may designate smoking areas in or around these residence halls and dormitories.
Pending Legislation Updated
On Tuesday, March 11,
the University Relations
website on pending legislation will be updated to reflect
the positions taken by the Board of Regents on various
bills.
Link
to "Pending Legislation" page.
Economic Impact Study Website
The UW System economic impact study is available
online and features the university's positive economic
contributions broken down by State Senate district.
Link
to "Economic Impact" website.
Information on the Web
UW System Government Relations:
http://www.uwsa.edu/govrel/
UW System Budget:
http://www.uwsa.edu/budplan/
Wisconsin Legislature on the Web
http://www.legis.state.wi.us/
Prepared by Kerry
Niemcek.
For further information contact Margaret
Lewis (608) 262-4464 or David
Miller (608) 262-4463