April 19, 2005
ASSEMBLY PASSES BILL RESTRICTING PRIVATE STEM CELL RESEARCH
Last week, the Assembly passed Assembly Bill 206 which would provide tax credits for private research and development companies. The bill was amended to restrict those credits from being given to companies that do embryonic stem cell research on lines created after August 9, 2001, the date which President Bush set limiting federal funding. The amendment was adopted on a 60-36 vote with four Republicans (Reps. Kaufert, Ainsworth, Ward and Underheim) voting against. The bill is now in the Senate and has been referred to the Senate Committee on Job Creation, Economic Development and Consumer Affairs. A public hearing has not yet been scheduled. A copy of the bill and amendment is available at:
http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/AB-206.pdf
http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/AB206-AA1.pdf
JOINT FINANCE TO BEGIN VOTING ON BUDGET
This week, the Joint Committee on Finance will begin considering portions of the Governor’s 2005-07 state budget. The executive sessions are scheduled for Tuesday April 19th at 1:30 p.m. and Wednesday April 20th at 9 a.m. in room 412 East of the State Capitol. The committee will vote on the budget provisions and have the opportunity to offer amendments to the proposed budget. The proposed schedule of state agencies expected to be taken up can be found at: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/lfb/jfc/1920posting.doc.
The UW System budget is not expected to be considered until early May. The Legislative Fiscal Bureau papers on specific budget provisions that the committee will work from this week is available at: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/lfb/2005-07budget/BudgetPapers/April19and20.htm
Earlier this week, the committee released a list of 21 non-fiscal policy items that the co-chairs will remove from the Governor’s 2005-07 proposed budget. Of interest to the UW, the committee removed a UW System provision requiring a position creation report and a UW-Madison provision about medical school enrollment. The removed items will be re-introduced to the Legislature as separate bills. A complete list of the items removed can be found at: http://www.wispolitics.com/1006/041205JFC_FK.pdf.
For more information on the 2005-07 biennial budget, please visit the state relations web site at http://www.staterelations.wisc.edu/0507budget.html">www.staterelations.wisc.edu/0507budget.html.
TABOR LEGISLATION RETURNS
Rep. Frank Lasee (R-Green Bay) reintroduced his Taxpayer Bill of Rights constitutional amendment to limit state spending last week. The amendment, similar to one of Rep. Lasee’s versions introduced last legislative session, does not exempt tuition or federal funds. The bill allows the Legislature to later examine exempting those funds. A copy of the bill is available at:
http://www.legis.state.wi.us/assembly/asm02/news/05-04675.pdf
VETERANS TUITION BILLS TO HAVE HEARING
The Assembly Committee on Veterans Affairs will meet at 2:00 p.m. today in room 417-North of the State Capitol. Included on their agenda are the following two bills that would provide certain tuition benefits for certain veterans:
- AB 317 - which would provide 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.
- AB 318 - which would provide a 50 percent tuition waiver for all veterans deemed eligible for state veterans benefits.
In other upcoming hearings:
- The Assembly Agriculture Committee will meet on April 28, at 10:30 a.m., in room 417 North. Included on their agenda is a presentation on Economic Impact of Wisconsin Agriculture by Dave Williams of the UW College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. Also the committee will hear an update on the Buffer Strip Initiative from Pete Nowak of the UW College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.
LEGISLATION INTRODUCED
Assembly Bill 317 - Veteran’s dependant tuition waiver
Rep. Gabe Loeffelholz (R-Platteville) introduced a bill that would provide 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 bill was referred to the Assembly Committee on Veteran’s Affairs where it will have a public hearing today (see above).
Assembly Bill 318 - Veteran’s tuition waiver Rep. Gabe Loeffelholz (R-Platteville) introduced a bill that would provide a 50 percent tuition waiver for all veterans deemed eligible for state veterans benefits. The bill was referred to the Assembly Committee on Veteran’s Affairs where it will have a public hearing today (see above).
LEGISLATION CIRCULATING
LRB 2466 - Nursing loan program expansion
Rep. Jean Hundertmark (R-Clintonville) is circulating LRB 2466, which expands the Higher Educational Aids Board (HEAB) nursing student loan program to make nurse educators eligible for the loan. A graduate with a master’s degree in nursing would have 50 percent of the nursing loan forgiven if they would teach nursing in Wisconsin for at least two years.
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).
For more information on state related issues contact,
Kristi Thorson or Don Nelson
Assistant Directors, State Relations
608/262-8967