The Senate Committee on Universities, Technical Colleges, Children and Families held a public hearing on Wednesday, January 22, and heard the following bills relating to UW System:

• SB 343-Resident undergraduate tuition

President Ray Cross provided verbal testimony in opposition of SB 343, which can be found attached below.

• SB 403– Free expression: free expression within the University of Wisconsin System, providing an exemption from rule-making procedures, and granting rule-making authority

President Ray Cross provided written testimony for information only on SB 403, which can be found attached below.

The Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities held an executive session and public hearing on Thursday, January 23.

During the executive session, the committee considered the following bills relating to the UW System:

• AB 444– Free expression: free expression within the University of Wisconsin System, providing an exemption from rule-making procedures, and granting rule-making authority.

The Committee voted to pass the bill, including Amendment Substitute 1, in a 8-6 vote.

• AB 536– Career Advancement Scholarship: establishing a career advancement scholarship program and making an appropriation

The Committee voted to pass the bill, including Amendment 1, in a 14-0 vote.

Following the executive session, the committee held a public hearing and heard the following bills relating to the UW System:

• AB 230– Military Transcripts: transferring academic credits from military transcripts to University of Wisconsin System schools and technical colleges.

See below for written testimony provided by President Ray Cross for information only. 

• AB 556– Teaching Hours: recognizing teaching hours for providing certain extension services of the University of Wisconsin System.

Ben Van Pelt, UW-Madison Assistant Director for State Relations, and Heidi Zoerb, Associate Dean for External Relations for the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, provided verbal testimony on AB 566 (see below).

• AB 663– Veteran Application Fees: exempting veterans and members of the armed forces from admissions application fees at University of Wisconsin System schools and technical colleges.

The Assembly was in session on Wednesday, January 15, and voted on the following bills relating to UW System:

• SB-334: Active Duty Service– requirements for colleges when service member students are called into active duty. Passed by the Assembly and will go to the Governor for signing. The Governor intends to sign  it on Tuesday, January 21.
• AB-706: Bargaining Contract-ratification of the agreement negotiated between the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the Wisconsin State Building Trades Negotiating Committee, for the 2018-19 fiscal year, covering employees in the building trades crafts collective bargaining unit, and authorizing an expenditure of funds. Passed 
  
• AB-707: Bargaining Contract– ratification of the agreement negotiated between the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the Wisconsin State Building Trades Negotiating Committee, for the 2019-20 fiscal year, covering employees in the building trades crafts collective bargaining unit, and authorizing an expenditure of funds. Passed
• AB-708: Bargaining Contract– ratification of the agreement negotiated between the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and the Wisconsin State Building Trades Negotiating Committee, for the 2018-19 fiscal year, covering employees in the building trades crafts collective bargaining unit, and authorizing an expenditure of funds. Passed
• AB-709: Bargaining Contract– ratification of the agreement negotiated between the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and the Wisconsin State Building Trades Negotiating Committee, for the 2019-20 fiscal year, covering employees in the building trades crafts collective bargaining unit, and authorizing an expenditure of funds. Passed
• AB-710: Bargaining Contract– ratification of the agreement negotiated between the state of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin State Building Trades Negotiating Committee, for the 2018-19 fiscal year, covering employees in the building trades crafts collective bargaining unit, and authorizing an expenditure of funds. Passed
• AB-711: Bargaining Contract– ratification of the agreement negotiated between the state of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin State Building Trades Negotiating Committee, for the 2019-20 fiscal year, covering employees in the building trades crafts collective bargaining unit, and authorizing an expenditure of funds. Passed

The bargaining contracts were all passed by the Assembly in a 99-0 vote. The contracts will next be heard by the Senate on Tuesday, January 21.

The Assembly Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs held a public hearing on Thursday, January 16 and heard AB-689: Tuition and Fee Remission- relating to tuition and fee remission for certain veterans and their dependents.  President Ray Cross testified in opposition to the bill. A copy of the testimony is attached below.

Both the Speaker’s Taskforce on Water Quality and the Governor’s office released their reports on efforts and proposals related to water quality. The report released by the Governor’s office can be found here. The report release by the Speaker’s Taskforce can be found here. There are several bills proposed by the Taskforce that affect the UW System, including:

• LRB 4931/1: New Office of Water Policy
• LRB 4751/1: Pilot Program to Address Nitrate Contamination
• LRB 4716/1: Groundwater Testing, Mapping, and Educational Outreach
• LRB 5061/1: Freshwater Collaborative

President Ray Cross sent a letter to all legislators requesting support of the Speaker’s Task Force on Water Quality proposals LRB 4716/1 and LRB 5061/1.  A copy of the letter is attached below.