March 28, 2005
JOINT FINANCE COMMITTEE TO BE BRIEFED ON UW BUDGET
As part of its preparations for executive action on the 2005-07 biennial budget, the Joint Finance Committee will receive agency briefings this week and next. The UW System budget briefing is scheduled for tomorrow’s hearing, expected to begin at 11:00 a.m. in room 412-East of the State Capitol. UW System Executive Senior Vice President Don Mash will be representing UW System at the hearing. UW-Madison College of Letters & Science Dean Gary Sandefur will also be there to answer UW-Madison specific-questions. The Joint Finance Committee is expected to begin voting on the budget in mid-April.
For more information on the 2005-07 biennial budget, please visit the state relations web site at www.staterelations.wisc.edu/0507budget.html.
“VETERANS RELIEF” PACKAGE PROPOSED
Recently republican members of the Wisconsin Legislature, including Speaker John Gard (R, Peshtigo), announced a “Veterans Relief Package” of three bills, two of which are related to tuition. The first bill provides a tuition waiver at any UW System institution or Wisconsin Technical College System school for dependent children or the spouse of a veteran with at least a 30 percent service-connected disability. The second bill provides a 50 percent tuition waiver for all veterans deemed eligible for state veterans benefits. The bills have not yet been introduced, but more information is available at http://www.thewheelerreport.com/releases/Mar05/Mar16/0316gardvetspkg.PDF.
ASSEMBLY COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COMMITTEE ACTION
Last week the Assembly Colleges and Universities Committee met and took action on several bills of interest to the University. The following bills were passed by the committee, and now go to the full Assembly for consideration.
- Assembly Bill 111 -- Allow an individual income tax deduction for contributions by a divorced or legally separated parent to his or her child’s college savings account or college tuition and expenses program and limiting the deduction that may be claimed by a married person who files separately.
- Assembly Bill 158 -- Appointment of a non-traditional student member of the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. The bill was amended to stagger the terms of the students and to prohibit Milwaukee and Madison from representing the students on the Board at the same time.
- Assembly Bill 27 -- Authorizes the Board of Regents to create a program to offer tuition gift certificates for UW System institutions. The bill was amended to remove the expiration date.
- Assembly Bill 31 -- Allows an individual income tax deduction for amounts contributed to ANY section 529 college tuition program.
A vote was postponed on the following two bills.
- Assembly Bill 246 -- Transferability of certain nursing credits from technical colleges.
- Assembly Bill 87 -- Provides a nonresident tuition exemption for dependents of certain active members of the armed forces attending the UW System institutions.
For the complete text of all bills and their current status, please visit: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/ab_list.html (Assembly bills) or http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/sb_list.html (Senate bills).
UPCOMING HEARING
The Assembly Committee on Ways and Means has scheduled a public hearing on Assembly Bill 106, relating to the individual income tax deduction for college tuition expenses. The hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, March 30, at 9:30 a.m. in room 300-Northeast of the State Capitol.
For more information on state related issues contact,
Kristi Thorson or Don Nelson
Assistant Directors, State Relations
608/262-8967