Government Relations
Legislative Update
March 19, 2004
Legislative Session
(NOTE: The Assembly adjourned its Extraordinary Session on Tuesday and has no plans to return to the floor. The Senate will resume its Extraordinary Session at 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 24, and is expected to complete its floor session later that afternoon.)
Bills in the Senate with Assembly Amendments Pending
- SB-474. Changes to 2003-05 authorized state building program (UW projects enumeration). Assembly Am. 1 pending.
Senate Bills in the Senate
- AB-869/SB-513..Exemption from non-resident tuition within the UW System for certain veterans (companion AB-869 passed).
Bills signed by the Governor on Monday, March 15:
- AB-403. Regulates athlete agents who represent student athletes by enacting the Uniform Athlete Agents Act.
- SB-247./ AB-497. Electronic provision of certain orientation information for UW System students.
- SB-388./ AB-757. Increases bonding authority for UW Hospitals and Clinics Authority.
Enrolled bills to be sent to the Governor:
- AB-207. Banning smoking in and around University of Wisconsin System residence halls and dormitories and provides a penalty.
- SB-253. Allows four more UW institutions to charter K-12 schools with BOR approval.
- SR-32. Urges the members of the U.S. Congress from this state, Wisconsin state legislature, executive branch, judicial system, county governments, city governments, village governments, town governments, University of Wisconsin System, Wisconsin technical college system, and public school districts to work on securing more federal funds for the residents of Wisconsin.
- AB-830./SB-437. Funding for engineering instruction at the UW-Rock County campus.
Recent Committee Hearings
The Building Commission met this week and approved the following:- UW-Madison Science Hall remodeling and delegation to campus
- UW-Stevens Point Debot remodeling (campus to oversee competitive bidding)
- UW-Oshkosh Taylor Hall authority to construct contingent upon enumeration
- UW Colleges $1.7 million was released to purchase equipment for the following projects:
- UW-Sheboygan: New science building and classroom wing renovation
- UW-Marathon County: Fieldhouse renovation
- UW-Waukesha: Lower Northview Hall, science laboratory and classroom renovation
- UW-La Crosse Cowley vestibules
- UW-Oshkosh Albee pool liner
- UW-Platteville Art bldg doors/windows
- UW-Madison Memorial library halon system
- UW-Milwaukee Klotsche Pool - use funds from major project and combine.
(NOTE: Action on the UW-Parkside and UW-Whitewater carpeting projects were postponed until the Building Commission has the opportunity to learn more).
Upcoming Committee Hearings
The Assembly Budget Review Committee will meet at 9 am, Tuesday, March 23. DNR Secretary Hassett and his staff have been asked to appear before the committee to discuss the functions, organizational structures and budgets of the office, including changes made in the department due to budget constraints. Invited speakers only. No public testimony will be heard.
Bills Introduced
SB-543. ECONOMIC RESEARCH CENTER (Plale) Establishes a Fiscal and Economic Research Center at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. To Higher Education and Tourism.
SB-554. RENEWABLES (Cowles) Use of renewable resources at certain state facilities. To Energy and Utilities.
AB-950. UW TUITION (Huber) Authorizes a program for tuition gift certificates at the UW. To Colleges and Universities.
AB-956. UW (Schneider) Rights of UW System students; maximum weight for pupil textbooks; contracts that grant naming rights. To Rules.
AB-977. RENEWABLES (Jensen) Use of renewable resources at certain state facilities. To Energy and Utilities.
AR-42. (J. Wood) Calls on various agencies and persons to work on securing more federal funds for Wisconsin residents. To Rules.
Other News
Rep. Wayne Wood (D-Janesville) will not seek re-election this fall. He was elected to the Assembly in an April 1976 special election and has been re-elected since November 1976.
Rep. DuWayne Johnsrud (R-Eastman) will not seek re-election. In an e-mail sent out Thursday, Johnsrud is quoted as saying he wants to spend more time with his wife, Jackie, and their four grandchildren. Johnsrud has represented the 96th District since 1984.
Campbell Town Chairman Dan Kapanke announced today he will seek the Republican nomination in the 32nd Senate District. Kapanke ran for the seat in 2000, losing a close race to Democrat Mark Meyer. Meyer announced earlier he will not seek re-election.
Wisconsin State Sen. Dale Schultz, (R-Richland Center) will announce his candidacy for U.S. Congress on Monday.
Rep. Mark Miller (D-Monona) made his state Senate bid for the seat held by Sen. Chuck Chvala official this week. Dane County Clerk Joe Parisi has filed papers to run for Miller's seat.
University of Minnesota President Robert Bruininks is suggesting that changes in the 35-year-old reciprocity program that allows students from Wisconsin to attend the University of Minnesota at University of Wisconsin System tuition rates, and vice versa, be changed. Craig Swan, vice provost for undergraduate education at the University of Minnesota, said the university doesn't want to do away with reciprocity but would like Wisconsin students to pay the same tuition as Minnesota residents by 2007. UW System officials are not actively considering the proposal until Minnesota decides what it wants to do at the state level. Wisconsin Rep. Rob Kreibich (R-Eau Claire), Chair of the Assembly Colleges and Universities Committee says he will be writing to the Minnesota Higher Education Committee Chair, Representative Doug Stang , to complain about Bruininks’ proposal.
End Note
A summary of Legislative action on all bills affecting the UW System will be prepared following adjournment. The Legislature is due back April 27-29 for a limited business session and May 11-13 for a veto session. An extraordinary session may be added to either of these calendars, or later in the spring, to address AJR-55 (TABOR) and other issues.
For further information, contact Margaret Lewis at (608) 262-4464 or Doug Bradley at (608) 262-4463
Information on the Web
UW System Government Relations:
http://www.uwsa.edu/govrel/
UW System Budget:
http://www.uwsa.edu/budplan/
Wisconsin Legislature
http://www.legis.state.wi.us/