Government Relations
Legislative Update
May 16, 2003
Joint Finance Committee Proceedings
The Joint Finance Committee took up the UW System on Thursday, May 15.
Briefly, the committee approved the Governor's budget recommendations for a base cut of $250 million over 2003-05 and partial offsetting tuition increases. The committee also approved the Governor's recommendation for funding financial aid increases from auxiliary accounts, but added a sunset provision of 2005 to the transfer. The committee completely deleted the Governor's recommendation to eliminate the Higher Educational Aids Board and transfer the duties to the UW System.
On
Friday, the Committee voted to reduce the level
of GPR supported bonding compared to the Building
Commission's recommendations by $30,198,000,
which would provide a level of GPR supported
bonding for "All Agency" projects
equal to the amount provided under the 2001-03
building
program.
Read the detailed summary of the complete action and votes by the Joint Finance Committee.
For
the Legislative Fiscal Bureau summary of the
governor's budget, click on:
http://www.legis.state.wi.us/lfb/2003-05budget/Act33/tableofcontents.htm
For
the Joint Finance Committee home page and schedule,
click on:
http://www.legis.state.wi.us/lfb/jfc.html
Governor Doyle names new Regents
Governor Jim Doyle appointed the following to the UW System Board of Regents:
- Eileen Connolly-Keesler of Neenah is the executive director of the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation and has been a member of the Chancellor's Advisory Committee at UW-Oshkosh. Connolly-Keesler will begin her term May 15 and will serve until May 1, 2010.
- Charles Pruitt of Shorewood, a partner of the A.B. Data Group, a direct marketing and data processing firm, will begin his term July 1, 2003, and serve until May 1, 2009. He will replace current Regent Jay Smith, who has been asked by the Governor to continue to serve on the Board through budget deliberations.
- Beth Ann Richlen, a UW-Stevens Point senior who currently serves as president of the student government association, will begin a two-year student term beginning May 1, 2003, and expiring May 1, 2005. She will be attending the UW Law School this fall.
- Nino Amato joined the Board of Regents as the representative of the Wisconsin Technical College System. Mr. Amato is President of the Wisconsin Industrial Energy Group, Inc.
Committee Hearings
Senate Committee on Homeland Security, Veterans and Military Affairs and Government Reform met on Wednesday, May 14 to review AB-74, which would provide a $25 tuition voucher at UW or technical colleges for students who sound Taps at military honors funerals. Committee members did not vote on the measure.
Upcoming Committee Hearings
The Assembly Committee on Urban and Local Affairs will meet at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 20 in 400-NorthEast, State Capitol. Committee members will hear testimony on AB-264, which relates to vehicle parking near the UW-Milwaukee campus.
The Assembly Committee on Education meets at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 20, in 417-North, State Capitol. Members will hear testimony on two proposals that will eliminate or significantly alter the Youth Option Program: AB-183 and AB-233.
A joint hearing of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Corrections and Privacy and the Assembly Committee on Public Health will meet at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 20, in Room 411-South, State Capitol. The hearing will address SB-45 and AB-104, proposals that prohibit human cloning and parthenogenesis.
New Legislation Circulating
Rep. Garey Bies (R-Sister Bay) and Rep. Don Friske (R-Merrill) are circulating for co-sponsorship a proposal (LRB 2619/2) regarding transfer of credits between and within the UW System and the Wisconsin Technical College System. This bill requires the Board of Regents to accept all credits transferred within the UW System, including credits transferred between two-year UW System colleges, and all credits transferred from the technical college system. The bill also requires each technical college district board to accept credits transferred from another technical college district or from a UW System college.
LRB 2528/2, by Rep. Jeff Wood (R-Chippewa Falls), requires sabbatical leaves for University of Wisconsin faculty to be paid only through gifts and grants.
New Legislation Introduced
AB-342. STUDENT AID (Kreibich) Makes a student convicted of drug charges ineligible for state financial aid. To Colleges and Universities.
SB-162. YOUTH OPTIONS PROGRAM (Roessler) Provides that a student may take no more than two courses under the program. The 15 credit limitation is eliminated. To Education, Ethics, and Elections.
SB-166. WISCONSIN RETIREMENT SYSTEM (Risser) Allows participation in the Wisconsin Retirement System for teaching assistants and project assistants employed by the University of Wisconsin System. To Retirement Systems.
AB-344. STUDENT HEALTH (Kreibich) Requires certain college students to be vaccinated against or be informed about meningococcal disease (meningitis). To Colleges and Universities.
The Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities may hold a public hearing on the above bills on Tuesday, May 20.
New
Senate Directory (reflects Sens. Julie Lassa
and Jeff Plale staff and room changes)
http://www.legis.state.wi.us/senate/sosd.pdf
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