Government Relations
Legislative Update
March 14, 2003
Joint Finance Committee Proceedings
On Monday, March 17, the Joint Finance Committee will begin briefings from state agencies, including the University of Wisconsin System. UW System President Katharine C. Lyall and Board of Regents President Guy Gottschalk plan to address the committee. The committee meeting begins at 10 a.m., but the UW System budget is one of the final items up for consideration.
The Finance Committee will also 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.
For the Legislative Fiscal Bureau summary of the Governor's budget,
click on:
http://www.legis.state.wi.us/lfb/2003-05budget/Governor/tableofcontents.htm
Regents hold listening sessions
The Board of Regents held two listening sessions this week to get feedback from students, faculty, parents, alumni, community leaders and others about how budget cuts could affect their campuses and communities. The regent sessions were in Eau Claire on Tuesday, March 11 and in Green Bay on Thursday, March 13.
Attendance at the two-hour sessions exceeded expectations, and conversation focused on the serious impact of proposed budget cuts to local community economic development and opportunities for students. The following is a newspaper article about the Eau Claire event:
"UW System leader: Cuts' blow would go beyond universities," Eau
Claire Leader Telegram, March 12.
Full story: http://www.leadertelegram.com/story.asp?id=24052
Related story: http://www.leadertelegram.com/story.asp?id=24055
Additional sessions are planned for Stevens Point on March 25, Waukesha on March 26 and Madison on March 31.
Gov. Doyle to hold listening session
Gov. Jim Doyle will hold a listening session on the budget in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 444 W. Grande Ave., Wisconsin Rapids, on Tuesday, March 18 from 6 to 7 p.m. Other sessions may be announced.
Floor Session
This week, the Senate introduced and passed SJR 22, a proposal which congratulates and commends the University of Wisconsin Men's Basketball Team and Head Coach Bo Ryan.
Upcoming Hearings
Assembly Committee on Budget Review meets in Room 328 Northwest in the State Capitol on Tuesday, March 25 at 1 p.m. to discuss UW-Extension: Organization, Responsibilities and Budget (briefing).
Senate Higher Education and Tourism meets at 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 19, in Room 300 Southeast in the State Capitol to take up the UW Board of Regents appointments for Danae Davis, Jesus Salas and David Walsh.
The Higher Ed Subcommittee of the Building Commission is tentatively scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 18 (it may change to 8:30 am on March 19). The full Building Commission will meet at 2 p.m. on March 19.
The Division of Facilities Development (DFD) has concluded its evaluation of the 2003-2005 Capital Budget. The recommendation for the UW System includes $30 million GPR bonding for maintenance that was put in place during 2001-03 and will become available July 1. Therefore, the UW System may expect a total of $135 million in the All Agency appropriations, including $6 million for land acquisition at UW-Oshkosh. The regents requested approximately $170 million in All Agency Funds. DFD also recommended a total of $61 million GPR for major projects for all state agencies; $51 million would be for UW System major projects. Utilizing UW System's priority list, DFD recommended finishing phased construction and ongoing programs that were started in previous biennia.
Legislation Circulating 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 Site
Check out the updates to the UW System Pending Legislation site:
http://www.uwsa.edu/execvp/govrel/pending/index.htm
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