Government Relations
Legislative Update
June 13, 2003
2003-05 Biennial Budget Bill
The Legislative Fiscal Bureau Comparative Summary of the Joint Finance Committee modifications to the governor's budget request is now available. Click here for the LFB summary.
Both houses of the Legislature were briefed this week by the Fiscal Bureau staff. Both Assembly and Senate Republican leaders are predicting only modest changes to the Joint Finance Committee version of the budget before passage by the full Legislature. Gov. Jim Doyle is said to be weighing the possibility of vetoing the entire budget if he cannot achieve his goals through partial vetoes.
Senate Republicans plan to take up the budget bill next week, but not earlier than Wednesday. The Assembly is not expected to be in floor session until it takes up the budget, which will be after the Senate has passed the measure.
A summary of the UW-related budget provisions is available on the web. Click here for the UW System Budget website.
Joint Finance Committee homepage and schedule
Bills sent to the Governor
Both houses passed AB-74, which provides for $25 tuition vouchers at UW or technical colleges for students who sound Taps at military honors funerals. The measure is now before the governor.
Committee Hearings
The Assembly Colleges and Universities Committee held a second vote Wed., June 11, on AB-344, which requires students living in residence halls to attest that they have been vaccinated against meningococcal disease or choose not to be vaccinated. The committee adopted a substitute amendment, authored by Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Madison), which only requires institutions to provide information to all residence hall students.
Sabbatical Leave Proposal Action
Rep. Jeff Wood (R-Chippewa Falls) last week introduced AB-377, which requires that paid sabbatical leaves for UW faculty be paid for by gifts and grants. This week, UW System President Katharine C. Lyall sent a letter to Wisconsin legislators clarifying the UW System sabbatical process and program. PDF of President Lyall's letter. (The letter references a letter written by Professor Richard Burgess that is not included.)
Senate Directory
http://www.legis.state.wi.us/senate/sosd.pdf
Assembly Directory
http://www.legis.state.wi.us/assembly/aod.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/
For further information contact Margaret Lewis (608) 262-4464 or David Miller (608) 262-4463