Government Relations
Legislative Update
August 15, 2003
Legislative Proceedings
The state Senate failed this week to override Gov. Jim Doyle's veto of a property tax "freeze" by 1 vote. All 18 Republicans and three Democrats (Carpenter, George and Hansen) voted to override.
The Assembly passed a new freeze bill Tuesday by a vote of 62-31. All 59 Republicans voted for the bill. Five Democrats voted with the Republicans (Cullen, Krusick, Staskunas, Wasserman and Ziegelbauer).
Committee Hearings
The Assembly Education Committee on Tuesday passed an amended version of the Youth Options bill (AB-183). The bill, as passed, preserves the program that in certain circumstances requires local school districts to pay for high school students to take courses at institutions of higher education. The bill, however, limits the number of credits a school district must fund to the equivalent of 18 college credits.
The Senate Higher Education and Tourism Committee this week voted 5-0 to confirm the most recent Board of Regents appointees: Mark Bradley, Eileen Connolly-Keesler, Danae Davis, Chuck Pruitt, Beth Richlen, Peggy Rosenzweig, Jesus Salas and David Walsh.
The committee also passed two bills:
AB-84.
Prohibits use of a person's social security number in a student
ID at private institutions of higher education. Passage Recommended 5-0.
The requirement was previously implemented at UW System institutions.
AB-344.
Requires public and private universities to annually provide
all enrolled students information on meningococcal disease and
hepatitis B and the availability and effectiveness of vaccines
against the diseases. Students living in campus housing must
affirm that they have received the information and provide
the date of vaccinations if applicable. The institutions must maintain
a record of the student's affirmation or dates of vaccinations.
Passage Recommended 5-0. The bill is now available for the
September floor period.
Upcoming Committee Hearings
The Senate Judiciary Committee will tour the UW-Madison Biotechnology Center at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 20.
The Speaker's Task Force on the Wisconsin Technical College System has invited UW System President Katharine C. Lyall and WTCS President Richard Carpenter to address the committee about credit transfer issues on Tuesday, Sept. 9.
The Senate Select Committee on Job Creation will meet on Tuesday, Aug. 19, in 411-South, State Capitol. The committee will hear testimony from invited speakers on promoting greater capital investment and intellectual property utilization in Wisconsin.
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