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Legislative Update

May 14, 2004

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Legislative Session

In the on-going debate about how to limit property taxes and state spending (TABOR), the Senate and Assembly are expected to convene next week to take up a property tax freeze proposal. A session in June to consider a modified constitutional amendment to limit state spending (TABOR) is still also possible.

The Senate and Assembly will meet on Wednesday, May 19, to consider Revisor's bills, contracts and vetoes, among which may be AB-830 (funding for a UW-Platteville engineering degree at UW-Rock County). In addition, both houses are likely to meet in extraordinary session to consider medical assistance and health care bills.

This week, the Senate met on Tuesday, May 11, and confirmed several gubernatorial appointments adopted and messaged four memorials for Wisconsin servicemen and women killed in Iraq and passed and messaged Revisor’s Bills SB-557 though 565. SB-563 (Revisor's Correction Bill) and all pending vetoes were tabled until next week.

Recent Committee Hearings

The Joint Committee on Employment Relations (JCOER) met Tuesday, May 11, to unanimously approve the Office of State Employment Relations (OSER) recommendations made at the request of the UW System and Board of Regents. The recommendations:

Improve the scheduled general merit increase effectively from 1.0% to 1.35%
Authorize a 1.35% adjustment to the academic staff ranges for 2004-05
Add a $250 lump sum payment to full-time faculty and staff and a $125 lump sum payment to non-represented graduate assistants

The effective date for the distribution of 2004-05 adjustments will be July 1, 2004 (start of academic year for those on academic year appointments). A separate check will be issued for the lump sum payments on July 30, 2004.

Upcoming Committee Hearings

The Assembly Committee on Labor will meet at 8:30 a.m., Wednesday, May 19, in Room 225 NW State Capitol to consider, among other items, the recent strike activities of the Teaching Assistants Association (TAA) at UW-Madison. The committee is inviting representatives from the Doyle administration and UW-Madison to brief committee members on the impact of the illegal strike activities of the TAs on campus operations and students. Additionally, invited speakers will update members on the status of negotiations and of actions taken in response to the activities. Representatives will also identify options available in response to the strike activities.

Other News

The State Supreme Court this week ruled against Gov. Jim Doyle, maintaining that he exceeded his authority when he agreed to long-term gaming compacts with the state's Native American tribes. Additionally, the court ruled the Governor acted contrary to public policy by authorizing the Forest County Potawatomi to conduct new games. Ruling in the majority were Justices David Prosser, Pat Roggensack, Jon Wilcox and Diane Sykes. At stake are a $34 million payment by the tribes due on June 30, 2004 and an additional $207 million in tribal monies needed to help balance the state budget. It is likely federal courts will act on an appeal.

Dr. Richard Carpenter, president of the Wisconsin Technical College System since 2002, has been approved by the Board of Regents committee for the Community College of Southern Nevada (CCSN) to be its new president. The Board of Regents of CCSN, as well as the advisory committee, voted unanimously to recommend Dr. Carpenter as the new president. The full Board of Regents for CCSN is expected to approve Carpenter as college president at its next meeting, June 3.

UW System President Katharine Lyall expressed the university’s “warm regard, and best wishes, to Dr. Carpenter” and thanked him for “fostering strong, positive collaborations between our two systems of higher education.” (for the complete statement go to http://www.wisconsin.edu/news/2004/r040513.htm

The President of the United Auto Workers, Mike Sheridan, has announced he will run for the Assembly seat vacated by 44^th District Rep. Wayne Wood (D-Janesville).

Former Democratic Representative Barbara Linton has announced she will run for the 74^th Assembly seat as Republican. She will face current Rep. Gary Sherman (D-Port Wing).