Government Relations
Legislative Update
October 31, 2003
Legislative Session
The Senate on Friday, Oct. 24 passed SB-214, allowing persons to carry concealed weapons (Personal Protection Act). The proposal included a provision, authored by Sen. Harsdorf and Sen. Darling, to exempt "any building located on the campus of a public or private university, college, or technical college" and "any portion of a building used for instructional purposes by a public or private university, college or technical college."
The Assembly will be in session on Nov. 4, 5, 6, 12 and 13.
On Wednesday, Nov. 5, the Assembly will take up:
AB-609,
a bill that restores the National Guard tuition grants to the
level of funding prior to the budget bill.
SB-214,
the proposal to allow persons to carry concealed weapons.
Committee Hearings
The Assembly Colleges and Universities Committee held a hearing on Wednesday, Oct. 29. The committee voted on substitute amendment ASA1 to AB-532, which would require that the Board of Regents limit senior executive salary increases to the average of salary increases for unclassified and classified university employees in the same year. The measure failed 5-5 with two members absent.
The committee invited representatives from the Attorney General's office to brief the committee on the findings of the investigation into the Sept. 2 meeting of the Board of Regents. The Attorney General declined the invitation, but Regent President Marcovich and Vice President Walsh did appear before the committee. Read Regent Marcovich's prepared remarks to the committee.
Assembly Government Operations and Spending Limitations met on Wednesday, Oct. 29 to hear testimony on AB-95. The bill would allow aliens who are not legal permanent residents of the United States to pay resident tuition if they met certain residency requirements.
Homeland Security, Veterans and Military Affairs and Government Reform met on Wednesday, Oct. 29 to take up SB-268, a proposal to provide an education tax credit for businesses that pay tuition for employees.
Introdced in the Assembly
AB-609 by
Rep. Suder. The bill reinstates the determination of the amount
of National Guard tuition reimbursement as it existed before
the passage of the 2003 budget bill.
SB-294.
HEAB (Law Revision Committee). Remedial legislation suggested
by the Higher Educational Aids Board. Referred to the Higher
Education and Tourism Committee.
Legislation Circulating
Reps. Nass and Gunderson and Sen. Kedzie are circulating for co-sponsorship legislation that would allow Wisconsin residents to claim a state income tax deduction for investing in any 529-College Tuition Savings program. This bill has not yet been introduced.
Wisconsin Economic Summit IV
More than 800 leaders from Wisconsin business, government, and educational sectors attended the UW System's fourth statewide Wisconsin Economic Summit on Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 27-28 at the Midwest Airlines Center in Milwaukee.
Highlights included keynote addresses by Gov. Jim Doyle and John Morgridge, Chairman of the Board of Cisco Systems; panel discussions on health care costs, regional economic development, and the state's business climate; as well as a day of workshops about economic development efforts.
News highlights and white papers from the Summit are available on the Wisconsin Economic Summit IV website.
- Read a summary of events from each day of the summit.
- Watch video of summit events as they were originally broadcast.
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