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Legislative Update

May 13, 2005

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Legislative Activity - Week of May 13

The Joint Finance Committee Co-Chairs Dean Kaufert and Scott Fitzgerald have announced an executive budget session on financial aid issues to be held on Tuesday, May 17, 1:00 p.m., 412 East State Capitol. While the UW System budget isn't among those expected to be acted on, the agenda does indicate that the budgets of the Higher Education Aids Board and the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Board will be considered (http://www.legis.state.wi.us/lfb/jfc/17posting.doc).

The Joint Audit Committee will hold a public hearing at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, May 17, to discuss audit findings relating to state fleet management. The hearing will be in 411 South at the State Capitol. Regent David Walsh and Senior Executive Vice President Don Mash will answer questions regarding Chancellor vehicle allowances.

The Assembly Budget Review Committee will meet at 8:30 a.m. (note time change from 9:30 a.m. previously) Tuesday, May 17, in 328-North West to discuss AB-186, which requires all contractual services purchased by state executive branch agencies to be performed within the United States. The bill may be found at: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/AB-186.pdf

The Assembly Veterans Affairs will meet at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, May 17, in 400-North East to take up a number of bills relating to the UW System. These include: AB-317, which exempts spouses, unremarried surviving spouses and children of killed or 30% disabled veterans from tuition and fees at the UW System and at technical colleges, and AB-318 , which exempts certain veterans from 50% tuition and fees at UW System and technical colleges.

UW System in the News

UW System in the News The Senate passed a measure to add another student member to the Board of Regents. SB-121 was passed on May 3 by a voice vote.

Legislative Action

On May 3, the Assembly Colleges and Universities Committee held a hearing on AB-239, a bill to limit increases to three percent on undergraduate resident tuition and non-discretionary segregated fees at the UW System. No vote is planned.

The Assembly Military Affairs Committee met on Wednesday, May 4, to hear AB-378. The bill requires the UW System to re-enroll veterans who were forced to leave college to report for military duty after September 11, 2001. The bill passed 8 - 0.

The Assembly Ways and Means Committee met on Wednesday, May 11, to take testimony on AB-106, a measure to expand the individual income tax deduction for college tuition expenses. No vote held

Other Legislation

AB 361 Retirement Age (Hahn) Increases the minimum age for qualifying for a retirement annuity under the Wisconsin Retirement System. The bill has been referred to the to Joint Survey Committee on Retirement Systems, but it is not expected to advance.

AB-378 College Re-enrollment (Musser) Requires colleges and universities to re-enroll persons called to active military service after discharge from duty. To Military Affairs.

AB-383 Background Checks (Kestell) Requires criminal history background investigations of applicants for certain state government positions. To Labor.

AJR-38. UW-Stevens Point Men’s basketball team commendation (Molepske).

AJR-40. TABOR (Lasee) Spending limits for the state , school districts, and local governments; electoral approval for certain tax, spending, and bonding decisions; the ability of local governments to exempt themselves from state mandates not fully funded (first consideration). To Ways and Means.

Federal Government Update

The website for the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) has been upgraded to allow international students and scholars to monitor the status of their fee payments online. Visitors can verify online if the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office has received their SEVIS I-901 fee payment. The website is at: http://www.ice.gov/graphics/sevis/index.htm

Congressman Frank Wolf (R-VA) and others announced that Thursday, May 12, a National Conference on Science, Technology, Trade and Manufacturing would be held in fall 2005. The conference would examine the steps necessary to ensure that America remains the world’s leader in innovation.