Government Relations

Legislative Update

June 27, 2007

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In this issue:

STATE UPDATE

Biennial Budget

The Senate completed action on the state budget yesterday. 

The higher education provisions introduced and ultimately passed by Senate Democrats were virtually the same as the budget introduced by Governor Doyle, including funding for the Growth Agenda for Wisconsin.  The few exceptions:   

  • Deleted almost the entire program revenue portion on the UW-La Crosse Growth agenda initiative, while adding GPR to help cover tuition and financial aid for the second year of the biennium.  
  • Included $5 million in 2008-09 one-time GPR for the UW School of Medicine and Public Health comprehensive cancer center for lung cancer research (also requires $5million in grants).
  • Included UW System’s request to provide increased flexibility in the use of Universal Service Fund revenues to support telecommunications services at all 26 campuses.
  • Tweaked the veteran’s tuition remission program to clarify for spouses, graduates, etc which will result in minor, but additional, reductions in the fiscal burden to UW System.
  • Finally, changes the language pertaining to faculty and staff collective bargaining units.     

There were 17 motions offered by both parties -- relatively few compared to past years.  For Democrats, the emphasis was on a universal healthcare plan, “Healthy Wisconsin”.  Republicans offered 15 amendments, targeted at individual issues, such as the hospital tax, the oil tax, and the like.

Senator Glenn Grothman offered an amendment to eliminate the governor’s provision related to tuition for resident illegal aliens. In addition, the entire Senate Republican Caucus offered an amendment related to veteran’s tuition remission, rolling back changes, including the 10-year deadline, made by the Joint Committee on Finance.  Both amendments failed on party lines.

Conversation about UW System in the Senate was positive, without any negative attacks. With much of the debate focused on taxes and healthcare, UW System was rarely discussed at all. Senators Miller, Jauch and Kreitlow offered particularly supportive comments about UW during yesterday’s debates.

The Assembly’s plans for beginning work on their version of the budget is unclear, though most agree it will be in the next week or two, perhaps as early as July 3. Efforts to support the UW System budget, led by UW alumni, students, parents, business partners, and other local stakeholders, are expected to continue. In addition to messages about capital projects and Growth Agenda initiatives, those conversations will focus on the importance of UW System’s cost-to-continue, or ongoing operations.  This cost-to-continue fact sheet and provides useful information.  

If you wish to learn more about up-to-date budget action follow the Wispolitics.com budget public blog

 

Budget Tools/Resources

Growth Agenda for Wisconsin –   This site has been updated with new printable fact sheets, and a list of Growth Agenda endorsements.

Biennial Budget Bulletin – UW System Summary of the 2007-09 Governor’s Budget

LFB Summary of Governor’s Budget

LFB Informational Paper on the UW System

History of Biennial Budgets 1997-2007 shows the timeline of the passage of budgets since 1997. 

FEDERAL UPDATE

None at this time.

 

UPCOMING EVENTS     

July  
12-13 UW System Board of Regents Meeting - In Madison
   

Web Resources

 

Contact

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