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Legislative Update

February 25, 2005

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Joint Finance Committee hearings

Sen. Scott Fitzgerald and Rep. Dean Kaufert, Co-Chairs of the Joint Finance Committee, announced plans to hold five or six hearings across the state on Gov. Jim Doyle’s budget bill. While the dates and locations of these hearing have not been set, the Co-Chairs expressed interest in holding hearings in Madison, Milwaukee, and Central, Western, and Northern Wisconsin. The Joint Finance Committee may hold these public hearings on March 8-9 and 14-17.

Property-tax Freeze Proposal Update

On Thursday, February 17, the State Assembly passed AB 58, a bill which creates school district revenue limits and local tax levy limits for cities, villages, towns, counties, and technical college districts. Following this action by the Assembly, the State Senate concurred in passing AB 58 on Tuesday, February 22. Governor Doyle announced he will veto the bill (when it is delivered to him). For more information, please see http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/AB-58.pdf, and http://www.wisgov.state.wi.us/journal_media_detail.asp?prid=965

Legislative Session

The State Assembly passed AR 8 (Rep. Steve Nass), on Tuesday evening, instead of Nass’ original AJR 15. It condemns “hate speech” by Prof. Ward Churchill and “recommends strongly” that UW Whitewater reconsider allowing him to speak on campus (but removes language asking the Board of Regents to review hiring and tenure criteria). Representative Schneider offered an amendment to support Churchill's right to make the speech (Tabled, 60-38) and Rep. Black offered an amendment to removed language urging UW-Whitewater to cancel the speech (Tabled, 62-36). The resolution as introduced was ADOPTED, 67-31. See the link to the roll call on passage:

http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/votes/av0046.pdf

Important Dates

Please note the following important events and dates to keep on your calendars:

March 2There will be a joint meeting of the Assembly Colleges and Universities Committee and Senate Higher Education and Tourism Committee at 10:00 a.m. on March 2 in Room 417 North.

The hearing will include invited guests to speak on UW System restructuring plans, credit-transfers, and opportunities presented by higher education consortiums to improve administrative efficiencies. This will include Rep. Kreibich's proposal to make the 2-year UW Colleges satellites of four-year UW institutions, and UW System President Reilly proposal to merge the administrative functions of the UW Colleges and UW-Extension.
Invited guests will include UW System President Reilly, Wisconsin Technical College System President Dan Clancy, and Midwest Higher Education Compact (MHEC) President Larry Isaak. Isaak will discuss student exchanges and savings that could be achieved by participation in insurance and procurement contracts negotiated by the Midwest Higher Education Compact.

There will be a meeting of the Senate Higher Education and Tourism Committee at 2:30 p.m. (or after prior joint informational hearing, whichever is later) on March 2 in Room 417 North.

The committee will take up the appointment of Milton McPike to the UW Board of Regents; June Anderson to the Educational Communications Board; and Lorraine Carter to the Wisconsin Technical College System Board.
The committee will also discuss SB 38, which authorizes a program for tuition gift certificates at the UW System.

Legislation Circulating

Rep. Jeff Wood has introduced AB 106, a bill to expand the individual income tax deduction for college tuition expenses. For more information, please see: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/AB-106.pdf.

Sens. Ted Kanavas and Mark Miller, and Reps. Rob Kreibich and Dan Pridemore have introduced AB 111/ SB 53, a measure allowing an individual income tax deduction for certain amounts contributed by a divorced or legally separated parent to his or her child's college savings account or college tuition and expenses program and limiting the deduction that may be claimed by a married person who files separately. For more information, please see: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/AB111hst.html

Federal Legislative Update

President Reilly and Assistant Vice President for Federal Relations Kristine Andrews will be visiting the Wisconsin Congressional Delegation on March 3 to discuss the President’s Budget, Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, and UW campus spending priorities.

Senator Kit Bond (R-MO) and Senate Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) have raised concerns that the increase in the FY 06 National Science Foundation (NSF) appropriation is not sufficient. The senators indicated the proposed $5.6 million would make it difficult for NSF to accomplish goals of supporting basic research as well as providing training for aspiring scientists.

The clearance period for foreign students, scholars and scientists covered under the Visas Mantis program will be extended beyond the one-year time period. A Visas Mantis review is a process required when a foreign individual applies for a visa in order to work or study in the US in certain sensitive scientific and technical fields.

House Science Committee Chairman Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY) plans on introducing an authorization bill on NASA so that Congress may debate the President’s Vision for Space Exploration and the future of NASA. Boehlert noted that Congress has not yet examined the Vision and he is responding to agency concerns that the program will lead to cuts in other agency areas.

Timeline of State and Federal Budget Activities

March
2	Joint Higher Education Committee Meeting
3	President Reilly to DC to meet with congressional delegation
4	Student Representatives Meeting (3- 4:30 pm)
9	Building Commission Higher Education Subcommittee meeting
18	Building Commission meeting
TBA	Joint Finance hearings
TBA	Congressional Higher Education hearings
April
7	Poster Day In the Rotunda (Regent/Student/Faculty/Staff legislator visits)
10	Spirit Week Begins (community, alumni, legislator visits)
12	Alumni and mascots connect with legislators
13	President Reilly Roundtable at the UW-Madison campus
15	Spirit Day, all wear campus colors to work
May
11	UW Colleges Legislative Breakfast