Government Relations
Legislative Update
February 20, 2004
Legislative Session
The Assembly will vote on a number of provisions pertaining to the UW System next week. Legislators will meet at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 24 to vote on:
- AB-497. Electronic provision of certain orientation information for UW System students.
- AB-757. Increases bonding authority for UW Hospitals and Clinics Authority.
- AB-830. Funding for engineering instruction at the UW-Rock County campus.
On Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 10 a.m., the Assembly will vote on:
- AB-207. Bans smoking in and around UW System residence halls and dorms.
- AB-686. Remedial legislation suggested by the UW Board of Regents relating to the State Hygiene Lab membership; non-resident tuition exemption for veterans; transfer program at the UW Medical School.
TABOR AJR 55
The University of Colorado has recently released a study of TABOR’s disproportionate cuts to higher education. It is found at: http://www.cu.edu/challenges.pdf
In Colorado, the higher education general fund appropriation has declined to about 10 percent of the university budget and is projected to decline to zero by 2009 if there are no TABOR changes.
The Bell Policy Center in Denver has also provided information on the effect of TABOR in Colorado over the past ten years on all spending areas. That document can be found at: http://www.thebell.org/Revisedt.pdf
UW System staff continue to keep in close contact with Rep. Lasee’s office regarding progress on amendments to the proposal. At a Feb. 13 meeting with members of the Board of Regents, Rep. Lasee suggested that the legislature could 1) remove the UW System from the state’s fiscal year spending limitations and, instead, provide that the UW System have the same spending limitation as a school district or technical college, (CPI plus enrollment growth), or 2) exclude ―from the definition of fiscal year spending in the resolution ―all expenditures and reserves from the funds of the UW System that are not GPR. Changes to the bonding provisions of the resolution are also expected.
Recent Committee Hearings
The Joint Finance Committee met on Tuesday, Feb. 17 to pass:
- AB-403. Regulates athlete agents. Passed 15-0 as amended.
- AB-757./ SB-388. Increases bonding authority of UW Hospitals and Clinics Authority. Passed 14-1.
- AB-830. Funding for engineering instruction at UW-Rock County. Passed 12-3.
- SB-253. Allows five more UW institutions to operate charter schools. Currently, only UW-Milwaukee and UW-Parkside have this authority. Passed 11-4.
Upcoming Committee Hearings
The Assembly Colleges and Universities Committee will meet at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 24 in Room 225 Northwest of the State Capitol to hear public testimony on:
- AB-813. Prohibits UW System administrators from serving on the board of directors of corporations with which the system does business.
An executive session will be held on:
- AB-766. Authority of University of Wisconsin System police to make arrests off campus.
- AB-799. Nonresident tuition exemption for dependents of certain active members of the armed forces.
Other News
U.S. Sen. John Kerry won the presidential primary with 40 percent of the vote in Wisconsin this week. U.S. Sen. John Edwards won 34 percent and former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean placed third with 18 percent. Dean dropped out of the presidential race on Wednesday.
In other elections, Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker will face off against former Department of Administration Budget Director David Riemer in the race for Milwaukee County Executive. Interim Mayor Marvin Pratt will run against former Congressman Tom Barrett in the race for Milwaukee Mayor.
For further information, contact Margaret Lewis at (608) 262-4464 or Doug Bradley at (608) 262-4463
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