Government Relations

Legislative Update

February 15, 2008

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STATE UPDATE

In The News

► At February’s Board of Regents Meeting, System President Reilly rolled out ten key “Growth Agenda Action Steps” as a result of the strategic planning process, Advantage Wisconsin. The press release is available online. Regents and key media outlets showed a favorable response to the Action Steps. See the news stories in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Green Bay Press Gazette covering the dual transcripts and the Connections program, respectively.

► Governor Jim Doyle appoints Jose Vasquez to the Board of Regents to fulfill the seat formerly held by Jesus Salas.  This requires confirmation by the state senate for a term ending in May 2009.

► Governor Jim Doyle is soliciting applications for the non-traditional student position on the UW System Board of Regents. Qualified students must submit an application by March 14, 2008. For specific information, see the official announcement.   

► Revenue Estimates On February 13, the Legislative Fiscal Bureau sent a letter to Joint Finance Committee co-chair regarding General Fund Tax Revenue Estimates.  In reaction to this news, Department of Administration Secretary Morgan has ordered deeper cuts for state agencies. See Memo to Agencies.  Also, see statements from the Governor and legislative leadership:  Governor Doyle.   Speaker Huebsch.  Rep. Kreuser.  Sen. Decker.  

 

State Legislation Update

Recent Legislative Activity

January 31 – The Senate amended and passed AB 8, prohibiting the capture of the image of a nude or partially nude person in a locker room, on a vote of 18-14. The UW System issued a support position on this bill.

February 12 – The Assembly Committee on Education held a public hearing on AB 658, relating to eligibility for academic excellence higher education scholarships.  The UW System issued a support position on this bill.

The Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities held an executive session on AB 154, relating to an individual income tax deduction for amounts contributed by a divorced or legally separated parent to his or her child’s higher education expenses, and on AB 281, relating to changes effecting the Educational Approval Board, but took no executive action. By a vote of 8-0, the committee passed AB 577, relating to the appoint of student members of the UW Board of Regents. The UW System has issued a support position on AB 154, and a neutral position on AB 577.

February 13 – The Assembly Committee on Jobs and the Economy held an executive session and unanimously passed Substitute Amendment 1 to AB 609, relating to increases for appropriation for nanoscience positions and equipment at UW- Eau Claire, UW-Stout, and Chippewa Valley Technical College.  AB 635, which creates an income and franchise tax credit for expenses related to nanotechnology, also passed unanimously.

February 14 – The Senate Committee on Ethics Reform and Government Operations voted unanimously passage of  SB 163, regarding state contractual services.  An amendment was adopted to exempt the UW System, reflective of the university’s amend position.

Upcoming Legislative Activity

February 19 – The Senate is scheduled a floor session at 11 a.m.  Among items on the calendar is SB 353, which allows a collective bargaining process for UW system faculty and academic staff. The UW System Board of Regents is reviewing a draft position statement on this bill.

February 20 – The Senate Agriculture & Higher Education will hold a public hearing at 2 pm, Wed, Feb 20, 201-SE on SB-456. (Risser), which adds a TomoTherapy addition to the UW-Madison Veterinary School in the 2007-09 state building program.

The Assembly Committee on Public Health will hold a public hearing on two bills: AB 740, relating to permitting a researcher access to cancer information reported to the Department of Health and Family Services under certain conditions and also on AB 766, relating to a TomoTherapy addition to the UW-Madison Veterinary School 2007-09 authorized state building program. The UW System issued a support position for the TomoTherapy addition.

February 21 – The Assembly Committee on Consumer Protection and Personal Privacy will hold a public hearing on AB 771, relating to the state and local government use of social security numbers for programs.

Legislation Circulating, Introduced or Added Since Last Update

February 4 – Sen. Risser introduced SB 450, relating to the formula used to calculate the amounts appropriated for higher education grants, tuition grants, and the Lawton minority undergraduate grants. The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Higher Education.

February 5 – Rep. Hines introduced AB 766, relating to a TomoTherapy addition to the UW-Madison Veterinary School 2007-09 authorized state building program. The bill has been referred to the Assembly Committtee on Public Health. Sen. Risser introduced the companion bill, SB 456, in the Senate which has been referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Higher Education.

February 6 -- Rep. Lothian has introduced AB 771, prohibiting the state and local government from using social security numbers to identify persons for government programs.

February 7 – Rep. Parisi introduced AB 780, relating to the calculation method by which amounts are appropriated for higher education grants, tuition grants, and Lawton undergraduate grants. This bill was referred to the Committee on Colleges and Universities.

February 8 – Sen. Hansen introduced SB 462, relating to psychological evaluations for law enforcement officers. The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Labor, Elections, and Urban Affairs. Rep. Hraychuck introduced a companion bill on February 11; AB 787 was referred to the Assembly Committee on Corrections and Courts.

Reps. Hixson and Garthwaite introduced AB 779, creating a student health benefits cooperative. The bill has been referred to the Committee on Insurance.

Remaining Legislative Schedule

Watch live coverage of the Senate and Assembly floor sessions online. The remaining schedule is as follows:

  • Feb 19 to March 13, 2008 (Tu − Th) Last general-business floor period
  • April 3, 2008 (Th) Bills sent to Governor
  • May 6 to 8, 2008 (Tu − Th) Limited-business floor period
  • May 15, 2008 (Th) Bills sent to Governor
  • May 27 and 28, 2008 (Tu − W) Veto review floor period

FEDERAL UPDATE

► The President’s FY09 Budget

President Bush has released his budget for FY 09.  The Federal Relations Office has prepared a memo summarizing his proposals.

► Higher Education Act Reauthorization

By a vote of 354-58 the U.S. House passed H.R. 4137- the bill to reauthorize the Higher Education Act. The Senate already passed its version (S. 1642). The House and Senate will now conference the differences between the two bills. It is unclear how and when a final bill will shape up. Please see President Reilly’s letter to Wisconsin’s congressional delegation in advance of floor passage.

The White House has issued a detailed Statement of Administration Policy on the legislation.  The Administration strongly opposed passage of H.R. 4137 in part due to accreditation provisions supported by the higher education community.

AASCU has prepared a summary of the floor proceedings.

►U.S. Senate/House Vote Schedule

Both chambers will be out of session next week for the Presidents Day recess and will reconvene the week of February 25.

►Senate Foreign Relations Committee approves Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee on February 13 unanimously approved the Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act (S. 991).  The measure would create an independent public-private foundation that would award competitive grants to institutions and individual students with the goal of significantly increasing the number of U.S. students studying abroad.  The House approved a companion measure (H.R. 1469) last June.  See President Reilly's letter to Senator Feingold, a member of the Committee on Foreign Relations.

►National Science Board Report on Cost Sharing

  A committee of the National Science Board (NSB) on February 8 released a report on cost sharing policies of the National Science Foundation (NSF).
 The “Report to Congress on Cost Sharing Policies at the National Science Foundation” recommends that NSF should:
  • define and communicate a set of overarching principles to guide the application of mandatory cost sharing, to include specific goals and expected outcomes of its application;
  • continue to employ OMB Circular A-110 to define cost sharing;
  • enhance its training of program officers to avoid unintended implicit or explicit requests for voluntary cost sharing/institutional commitments during the budget negotiation process;
  • reinstate mandatory cost sharing for programs for which cost sharing is foundational to strategic programmatic goals.  Mandatory cost sharing will be required for the following programs: Engineering Research Centers, the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, and Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers,
  • continue to communicate the requirements of tracking and reporting mandatory cost sharing to all institutions to which it provides funding; and periodically review its cost sharing policies and their impacts.

The report, which is the first of two, was required by the America COMPETES Act, which directed the NSB to report back to Congress on the “unintended consequences” of the agency’s decision in 2004 to eliminate mandatory cost sharing for all NSF programs.  A statement accompanying the report says that the NSB’s cost sharing task force is “continuing its examination of key issues and challenges in cost sharing in order to use those findings to formulate a comprehensive set of recommendations on NSF cost sharing policy.” As it did with the first report, the panel will hold roundtable discussions with stakeholders in academia, government, and industry. 

►NSF Report Shows Federal R&D Funding Down in FY07   

A new report from the National Science Foundation (NSF) estimates that federal obligations for research and development (R&D) in FY07 dropped by about $500 million from their FY06 levels to $116.4 billion.  This constitutes a three-percent cut if adjusted for inflation.  The FY07 total also marks the first decline in federal R&D spending—in both actual and inflation-adjusted dollars—since 2000. 

Within the overall total, research (basic and applied) dropped by 2.2 percent in inflation-adjusted dollars, and development dropped by 3.5 percent in inflation-adjusted dollars. 

The report contains additional information by type of work, funding per year—delineated by both “current” dollars and “constant” dollars—and by funding agency. 

UPCOMING EVENTS     

February  
18-22 Congressional District Work Period
20 UW System Legislative Liaison/PIO Meeting – In Madison
27 Superior Days – Inn on the Park, Madison
28 Gov. Jim Doyle, President Reilly, and Chancellor Wilson Adult Student Initiative Rollout -- at UW-Fox Valley
29 FY09 Federal Priorities Due
March  
5 5th Annual UW System Undergraduate Research Day (Posters in the Rotunda) and UW Spirit Day to be held in conjunction with the legislative session and the Regents’ meeting in Madison.
5-6 United St. Croix Valley Days, Inn on the Park, Madison
See website for more details. 
6 Board of Regents Meeting - in Madison
17-28 Congressional District Work Period
26 UW System Legislative Liaison/PIO Teleconference

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