Government Relations
Legislative Update
November 21, 2003
Upcoming Committee Hearings
The Assembly
Colleges and Universities Committee will hold a public
hearing on Tuesday, Dec. 16, at 10 a.m. in room 225-NW. The following
bills
will be heard:
AB-406. Requires
colleges and universities to reenroll a student who was called
into active duty military service in the semester following
discharge or the next succeeding semester.
AB-422. Increases
maximum amount of Indian student assistance grants.
AB-497. Permits
certain UW student orientation information to be given electronically.
AB-540. Establishes
a statutory code of ethics governing unclassified personnel
of the UW System.
A vote will be held on the following bills, which
have already had a hearing:
AB-366. Mandating
the transfer of credits between and within the UW System and
technical college system. An amendment has
been introduced.
AB-403. Regulates
athlete agents.
AB-543. Expands
the statutory notice of public meetings of certain bodies within
the UW System.
AB-558. Requires
UW System Board of Regents to vote by roll call.
Select Committee on Job Creation created: Speaker Gard has formed an eight-member committee naming Rep. Jean Hundertmark as chair. The committee will finalize related legislation and hold public hearings.
The Assembly will hold an extraordinary session of the Legislature beginning at 9 a.m., Monday, Dec. 1, to consider AB-655 and SB-313, the jobs creation bills introduced earlier this week. Additional state employee contracts and the attempt to override the veto of SB-214, the carry concealed bill, are expected to be added. The Senate is expected to vote to hold an extraordinary session as well.
Committee Hearings
The Senate Higher Education and Tourism Committee this week passed SB-247, a measure allowing certain orientation information for UW System students to be provided electronically, on a vote of 5-0.
The State Building Commission met this week and approved all items on the agenda with the exception of two UW-Madison items, the Kegonsa Research Campus well installation and Lake Mendota shoreline restoration, which were delayed until December.
New Legislation Introduced
AB-667. (Rep. Nass) This bill would allow Wisconsin residents to claim a state income tax deduction for investing in out-of-state 529 college tuition savings programs. Referred to the Colleges and Universities Committee and Jt. Committee on Tax Exemptions. [Note: During a vote on AB-209 on 11/10/03, the Joint Finance Committee voted 3-10 against Motion #914, which was similar to this bill.]
AB-670. (Rep. Wasserman) The bill exempts medical residents and fellows from health care information data annual assessments. Referred to the Health Committee.
AB-674. (Rep. Jeskewitz) The bill permits a person who is a Wisconsin Retirement System annuitant to become a state employee and become eligible for employer contributions toward the payment of the cost of health insurance coverage. To Insurance.
SB-319. (Sen. Hansen) This bill creates a "Manufacturing Competitiveness Grant Program." The bill would create a Manufacturing Competitiveness Board to administer $9,500,000 GPR in grants to the UW System Board of Regents, the Wisconsin Technical College System Board, and certain entities that assist manufacturers. A grant may be used to fund any project that assists a manufacturer in accomplishing improved productivity, reduced costs of operation, the use of new technology in the manufacturing process, the improvement of skills within its workforce, the creation of new products, sales in new markets, or any other goal approved by the board that benefits manufacturing in this state. The bill also provides $500,000 to the WTC System Board to contract for surveys to determine manufacturers' needs and provide technical assistance.
New Legislation Circulating
Administrators - Rep. Stone is circulating LRB-3636, which would prohibit University of Wisconsin System administrators from serving on the board of directors of corporations where a conflict of interest might exist.
Chancellors/Deans - Sen. Hansen is circulating LRB-3571/2, which would require the president and chancellors (including deans of the two-year UW Colleges campuses) of the UW System to obtain the approval of the Ethics Board before accepting compensation for serving on a corporation's board of directors.
EdVest - Rep. Montgomery is circulating draft legislation for co-sponsors (LRB 3672/1). The bill would allow more than one financial institution to be named as a vendor for the EdVest program and require the Department of Administration to consider specific criteria when evaluating vendors to ensure the integrity of the EdVest program.
EdVest - Rep. Hubler is circulating LRB 3671/1, which would allow an individual income tax deduction for contributions to any section 529 college tuition program. This draft is similar to AB-667 above.
Governor calls for Summit on Local Government
Gov. Jim Doyle announced that a summit on local government issues, such as property taxes and efficiency, will be held at UW-Milwaukee on Dec. 10. UW-Madison Professor Don Kettl and Tim Sheehy of Milwaukee will co-host the session.
Information on the Web
New bill positions approved by the Board of Regents are posted on the web site above.
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 at (608) 262-4464 or David Miller at (608) 262-4463.