Government Relations

Legislative Update

January 6, 2006

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In this issue:

STATE UPDATE

Governor Signs Bills into Law:  Adding a Nontraditional Student to Board of Regents; Tuition Gift Certificate Program; State Contractual Service Contracting Procedures; UW-Platteville Project added to 2003-05 State Building Program

On Dec. 20, the Governor signed two bills into law that affect the UW System.  The first, SB 121 (Act 76) adds a nontraditional student to the UW System Board of Regents.  This will bring the total number to 18 members. See full text at: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/acts/05Act76.pdf

The second, AB 27 (Act 77), allows the Board of Regents to establish a tuition gift certificate program. See full text at:  http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/acts/05Act77.pdf

On Jan.4, the Governor signed two additional bills into law that affect the UW System.  SB 175 (Act 102) adds a UW-Platteville project to the 2003-05 state building program.  See full text at:  http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/acts/05Act102.pdf   Also signed into law is AB 105 (Act 89) which requires a cost/benefit analysis of all contracts over $25,000.  See full text at:  http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/acts/05Act89.pdf

Upcoming Hearings on Academic Excellence Scholarships; Public Employee Interests in Public Contracts; Fee Remissions; Student Regent Appointment Restrictions; Increasing WHEG Grant Maximum; Purchase of Organic Meat; Collective Bargaining for Faculty and Academic Staff  

The Assembly Education Committee has scheduled a public hearing on Jan. 10 at 10:00 a.m. in room 417 North on AB 877 which limits eligibility for an Academic Excellence Higher Education Scholarship to pupils who have earned, or who by the time of graduation are expected to have earned, at least four credits of mathematics and four credits of science.

The Assembly Colleges and Universities Committee has scheduled a public hearing on Jan. 10 at 11:00 a.m. in room 412 East on the following bills:

SB 338. Exception to the prohibition against a public officer or employee having a private interest in a public contract for employees of the UW System involved in certain research.

AB 835. Fee remission for children and surviving spouses of ambulance drivers, correctional officers, EMTS, fire fighters and law enforcement officers.

AB 882. Student Regent appointment modifications

AB 895. Increases Wisconsin Higher Education Grant (WHEG) to $3000

The Assembly Public Health Committee has scheduled a public hearing on Jan. 11 at 9:00 a.m. in room 415 Northwest on AB 837 requiring state agencies (including UW System), school districts, and technical college districts to give preference in purchasing chicken, turkey, beef, or pork products to suppliers who provide meat from animals that have not been given antibiotics for other than therapeutic reasons.

The Senate Higher Education and Tourism Committee is expected to take public testimony on SB 452 (faculty/staff collective bargaining), and SB 481 (increase in the WHEG grant maximum) on Jan. 18.

Legislation Introduced:  Student Regent Appointments; WHEG Grant Increase; Resident Fishing and Hunting Licenses

Rep. Ballweg has introduced AB 882. Current law prohibits the governor from appointing a student regent from the same institution in two consecutive terms.  This bill deletes this prohibition and uses the following criteria:  (1) the governor may not appoint the same student to consecutive two-year terms; (2) the governor may not appoint a student who is enrolled in an institution in which the previous student member was enrolled when he or she was appointed.

See full text at: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/AB882hst.html

Senator Harsdorf and Rep. Ballweg have introduced companion bills SB 481/AB895 which would increase the WHEG maximum from $2,500 to $3,000.  The Senate bill has been referred to the Senate Higher Education and Tourism Committee for a hearing on Jan. 18. The Assembly bill has been referred to the Colleges and Universities Committee for a hearing on Jan. 10.  See full text of senate version at: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/SB-481.pdf

Rep. Hubler has introduced AB 905 which adds eligibility for fish and hunting resident licenses to citizens of a foreign country temporarily residing in the state while attending a high school, technical college, or an agricultural short course at the University of Wisconsin System.  The bill has been referred to the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources.  See full text at:  http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/AB-905.pdf

FEDERAL UPDATE

Congressional Schedule

The U.S. House of Representatives is in recess until January 31, while the Senate is in recess until January 18.

2006 U.S. House of Representatives Calendar

View U.S. House of Representatives Calendar

The 2005 Year in Review: Highlights from the UW System Office of Federal Relations

Select Provisions in the House and Senate Bills to Reauthorize the Higher Education Act of 1965:  The current authorization of the HEA actually expired on September 30, 2004.  Since that time, Congress has passed several extensions of the Act, and recently approved another three-month extension.  The delay in reauthorization is the result of a national agenda dominated by national priorities other than higher education policy;   federal surpluses of earlier years that have been replaced by deficits, as evidenced by the disproportionate cuts directed at student loan programs in the recently passed budget reconciliation bill; and a close balance of partisan political power that has impeded progress on not only education, but other federal issues as well. 

The Office of Federal Relations will keep a watchful eye in 2006 on two provisions unique to UW System institutions:

  • Both the House and Senate bills include a provision that amends the HEA to define the terms “different campus” and “different population.”  The amendment is necessary because the U.S. Department of Education has ruled that the UW Colleges do not meet the standards set for having independent campuses because they are organized under an administrative umbrella with one chancellor and one centralized financial-aid operation.  The Office of Federal Relations has championed this amendment to allow UW Colleges campuses to apply for more than one Student Support Services Grant.  This effort has been supported by U.S. Representatives Petri and Kind and U.S. Senators Feingold and Kohl.

Working with U.S. Representative Kind, and in collaboration with the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, our attempt to reverse the phase-out of the base guarantee of the campus-based aid program was narrowly turned away during House subcommittee and full committee consideration.  At the request of the Office of Federal Relations, U.S. Rep. Kind offered an amendment that would have ensured schools participating in the campus-based aid program would not see a decrease in the amount of funding they currently receive, unlike provisions in the House bill, which would phase-out the base guarantee of the campus-based aid program.  Phase-out would mean a loss of an estimated $7.5 million in federal dollars for students attending UW institutions.  The Senate version of the bill maintains current allocation formulas. The Office of Federal Relations will continue to work with our delegation to see that the current allocation formula is preserved.

Wisconsin Security Research Consortium:  A year ago, there was no mechanism for scientists to compete for grants in classified or sensitive research.  Through the efforts of U.S. Senator Herb Kohl and U.S. Congressman Dave Obey, FY06 federal funding is being directed to Wisconsin to establish the Wisconsin Security Research Consortium.  The consortium will spearhead efforts to apply for grants to conduct classified and sensitive research in areas such as biodefense, early warning technologies, water and food security, sensors and robotics, to name a few.  These are all areas that fit the traditional strengths of the state’s research and development expertise, as well as the nation’s security priorities at a time when Washington is building defenses to combat terrorism.  The Wisconsin Security Research Consortium, advanced by the Office of Federal Relations and the Wisconsin Technology Council, is a public-private partnership that will act as an engine to pursue federal research funds in the homeland security area. More information on the consortium is available at http://wisconsintechnologycouncil.com/policy/research_consortium/.

State of Wisconsin Initiative to Fast-Track Nurse Educators (SWIFT Nurse Educators):  The UW System and several state partners were awarded a $1.3 million grant to help solve the nation’s growing nursing shortage.  Under a directive from the UW System Board of Regents to pursue opportunities to increase the capacity of nursing faculty, the Office of Federal Relations coordinated the federal grant proposal to the U.S. Department of Labor.  UW System was one of 12 grant recipients from nearly 230 applicants for funding under the President’s High Growth Job Training Initiative. More information on SWIFT is available at http://www.wisconsin.edu/news/2005/r050607.htm.

Higher Education Hurricane Relief:  UW System institutions responded immediately to the victims of Hurricane Katrina, a storm that displaced thousands of students and disrupted the higher education system in several states where schools were destroyed or rendered inoperable.  The Office of Federal Relations was in continuous contact with our national higher education associations, the U.S. Department of Education, and elected representatives to meet the needs of affected students.  An idea introduced by President Reilly will ensure that funds are made available to higher education institutions that incurred unexpected expenses associated with enrolling displaced students. Information on the UW’s hurricane relief efforts is available at http://www.wisconsin.edu/news/2005/r050916.htm.

Outlook for 2006:  If the acrimonious negotiations, debate and votes at the end of the first session of the 109th Congress are any indication, the second session will be tumultuous as well.  To quote The Concord Coalition, a nonpartisan, grassroots organization dedicated to informing the public about responsible fiscal policy, “The arithmetic is simple:  our nation cannot afford to fund military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, increase funding for homeland security, rebuild the Gulf Coast, adequately prepare for the retirement of the baby-boom generation, and meet other national needs while simultaneously cutting taxes and maintaining current spending levels for all other programs.”  Stay tuned, because the next year and beyond will require difficult choices and tradeoffs – many of which will impact higher education. 

All the best to you in 2006.  We appreciate your interest and support.

Bills and Board of Regents positions are posted at:
www.uwsa.edu/execvp/govrel/pending/index.htm

For further information, contact Margaret Lewis at (608) 262-4464.

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