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Legislative Update

March 24, 2006

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State Update
Federal Update
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STATE UPDATE

The state legislature is scheduled to be back in session April 25 to take up the Taxpayer Protection Amendment (SJR63/AJR77). Additional Public hearings are expected but none yet announced.

The Board of Regents has adopted a resolution opposing the Taxpayer Protection Amendment. A summary of the special March 23 Regents meeting and the resolution can be found at: http://www.wisconsin.edu/news/2006/r060323a.htm

Action on a few bills with an impact on the UW System is also expected April 25, including: AB 788 (Procurement), SB 414 (Veterans Benefits), SB 338 (Technology Transfer), and SB 96 (International Charter School). A number of new bills affecting the UW system have been introduced with little likelihood of passage so late in the session (see below).

Enrolled Bills: UW-Milwaukee Parking, Academic Excellence Higher Education Scholarships, Fee Remissions for Dependents of Public Safety Workers, UW Medical School Enrollment, College Re-Enrollment for Persons Calls to Active Military Duty, Criminal Background Checks, Nursing Student Loan Program, Default Judgments, Charter Schools, Resident Hunting and Fishing Licenses

The following bills were passed by the Legislature and are now waiting action by the Governor.

SB 329. Allows local governments to restrict parking in front of residences located near the UW-Milwaukee campus.

SB 370. Eligibility of a student enrolled in a 2-year, full-time vocational diploma at a technical college for an Academic Excellence Higher Education Scholarship.

SB 414. Fee remissions for children and surviving spouses of ambulance drivers, correction officers, EMS technicians, fire fighters and law enforcement officers.

SB 549. UW Medical School enrollment.

AB 378. College re-enrollment of persons called into active military service.

AB 383. Criminal history background investigations of applicants for state government positions with fiduciary responsibilities.

AB 387. Eligibility of a person enrolled in a program that confers a master’s degree in nursing for a loan under the Nursing Student Loan Program.

AB 725. Default judgments in cases involving citations for certain violations, including underage drinking and smoking.

AB 730. Independent charter schools established by UW institutions.

AB 905. Resident fishing and hunting licenses for nonresident students attending UW Ag Short Courses.

Legislation Introduced: Executive Salaries & Nonresident Tuition, Tax Credits for Purchase of Season Tickets to Higher Education Institutions Athletic Events, Executive Salaries Paid by GPR, Purchase of Long-term Care Insurance by Retirees, Human Stem Cell Research, Instructional Materials for Students With Disabilities, Hiring and Firing Unpardoned Felons

Rep. Nass has introduced AB 1068, which prohibits the UW Board of Regents from doing either of the following until July 1, 2007: (1) increase salaries of certain senior executive and administrator positions by more than 5 percent unless the increase is funded with gifts, grants, or federal revenue; (2) prohibits reducing nonresident tuition levels below the 2005-06 academic year levels. The bill has been referred to the Colleges & Universities Committee. Please see full text at: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/AB-1068.pdf

Rep. Montgomery has introduced AB 1084, which would create an income and franchise tax credit in an amount equal to the sales tax paid on the right to purchase season tickets to athletic events sponsored by higher education institutions. The bill has been referred to the Committee on Ways and Means. Please see full text at: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/AB-1084.pdf

Rep. Vos has introduced AB 1116, which provides that the share of a senior executives salary (UW System president, vice presidents, chancellors, and vice chancellors) paid with general purpose revenue (GPR), may not equal or exceed the salary of the governor ($137,095 effective 6-25-06). The bill has been referred to the Assembly Colleges and Universities Committee. See full text at: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/AB-1116.pdf

Rep. Petrowski has introduced AB 1120, which would permit participants under the Wisconsin Retirement System to use accumulated unused sick leave credits and health insurance premium credits to purchase both health insurance and long-term care insurance if he or she is not using the credits for the payment of health insurance premiums under the state group health insurance plan and if the participant is covered by a comparable health insurance plan or policy. The bill has been referred to the Committee on Insurance. See full text at: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/AB-1120.pdf

Rep. Berceau has introduced AB 1130 (Companion to SB 603) which provides that the policy of the state is to permit research involving the derivation and use of human stem cells. The bill also requires the research be approved by an institutional review board and a national oversight committee if state funds or resources are used to support the research. The bill has been referred to the Joint Finance Committee. See full text at: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/AB-1130.pdf

Rep. Seidel has introduced AB 1142. Under current state law the UW System and Technical College System must ensure that no student with a disability is denied the benefits of, excluded from participation in, or otherwise subjected to discrimination because of the absence of education auxiliary aids for student with impaired sensory, manual, or speaking skills. This bill directs the UW System Board of Regents and the Technical College System Board to jointly: 1) establish a state repository for the purpose of collecting instructional materials in electronic and alternative formats and facilitating timely access to those materials by students with disabilities; and 2) develop policies and procedures to ensure that a student with a disability has access to instructional material in an appropriate format, within the first week of the class for which the material if required. The bill has been referred to the Colleges and Universities Committee. See full text at: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/AB-1142.pdf

Rep. Petrowski has introduced AB 1147, which would permit the UW System Board of Regents and the Technical College System Board, or a technical college district board to refuse to employ or to terminate from employment an unpardoned felon. The bill has been referred to the Colleges and Universities Committee. See full text at: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/AB-1147.pdf

FEDERAL UPDATE

AAU is reporting several items that might be of interest to you:

Last week, the Senate approved the FY07 budget resolution amendment offered by Senators Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Tom Harkin (D-IA) by a vote of 73-27. Specter/Harkin adds $7 billion above the Senate Budget Committee-approved amount for health, education, and labor programs. Technically, it does not raise the FY07 discretionary spending cap but instead increases the advance funding limit in FY08.

Senator Specter earlier had threatened to vote against final passage of the Senate budget resolution unless he received a commitment from GOP leaders for funding increases during the appropriations process. After the vote, he told CQ Today that he had received commitments from Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) and Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran (R-MS) that the Labor/HHS/Education Appropriations Subcommittee, which he chairs, would receive an extra $10 billion—$3 billion added by the Budget Committee and $7 billion by the Specter/Harkin amendment.

The Senate approved its version of the FY07 budget resolution on a narrow vote of 51-49, after approving more than $16 billion in added spending, which includes the $7 billion for education, public health, and labor programs.

The House Republican leaders have delayed drafting their version of the FY07 budget resolution.

The House approved a three-month extension of the HEA. The current extension expires March 31; the new extension would run through June 30. The Senate is expected to bring up the measure soon and expects quick passage.

IT IS BEING REPORTED THAT ACCORDING TO A DRAFT HOUSE CALENDAR BEING CIRCULATED, THAT THE BOEHNER-MCKEON HEA REAUTHORIZATION BILL ADOPTED BY THE HOUSE EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE COMMITTEE LAST JULY COULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE FULL HOUSE DURING THE WEEK OF MARCH 27. SENATE ACTION IS POSSIBLE IN MAY.

Also, the Department of Education released a Dear Colleague letter regarding changes in student loan programs made by the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. The letter discusses specific changes in the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program, the Federal Perkins Loan Program, and the Federal Family Education Loan Program. The Department will issue a separate Dear Colleague letter detailing changes made by the Deficit Reduction Act that are not limited to the HEA Title IV loan programs.

The Department of Education letter is available at: http://www.ifap.ed.gov/dpcletters/GEN0602.html
Both the House and Senate are out of session until the week of March 27, when the Senate returns on Monday and the House on Tuesday.