May 10, 2007
JOINT COMMITTEE ON FINANCE BEGINS VOTING ON STATE BUDGET
With all of the public hearings complete, the Legislature's budget writing Joint Committee on Finance began voting on sections of the Governor's budget and other state agency budgets that the committee agreed to work off of the "base" or essentially, what their budgets looked like before the Governor submitted his plan. Working off the base agencies means that none of the changes made by the Governor will be considered unless the committee votes to put those provisions back into the budget. For those items in the Governor's budget that the committee will be considering, it will take a majority vote to remove those provisions. The UW System budget or other items that affect UW-Madison have yet to be scheduled for a vote. The committee is expected to vote on the various provisions up till the first week of June.
DOMESTIC PARTNER BENEFITS MUST NOW BE ADDED TO BUDGET
On April 21, the Joint Committee on Finance co-chairs announced that the budget provision authorizing the offering of domestic partner benefits to all state employees will not be considered as part of the Governor's budget bill. The provision will be considered as a separate item by the Finance Committee and will need a majority vote in the committee to put it back into the budget. However, the change does not end the process or change the university's strategy with the legislature.
This week, Chancellor John Wiley sent a letter to Senator Mark Miller (D-Monona) and Representative Mark Pocan (D-Madison) imploring them to urge their colleagues on the Joint Finance Committee to support the inclusion of the domestic partner provision back into the budget. It is possible that the committee will consider this provision in the next two weeks. A copy of the chancellor's letter is available at: http://www.news.wisc.edu/domesticPartnerBenefits/
LEGISLATION INTRODUCED
Assembly Bill 307/Senate Bill 163 - (Rep. Pocan/Sen.Wirch) - Contracting with U.S. companies first
Representative Mark Pocan (D-Madison) and Senator Bob Wirch (D-Pleasant Prairie) have introduced legislation which requires all contractual services purchased by state executive branch agencies to be performed within the United States. This requirement does not apply if the contractual services cannot be obtained within the United States.
Senate Bill 168 - (Sen. Miller) - Academic Excellence Higher Education Scholarship
Senator Mark Miller (D-Monona) has introduced legislation which would expand eligibility to receive an Academic Excellence Higher Education Scholarship to a senior with the next highest grade point, but not less than 3.8000 or the equivalent to be certified as an alternate to receive a scholarship if the designated scholar and alternate who has the same grade point average does not enroll in a participating institution of higher education.
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,
Don Nelson or Kristi Thorson
Assistant Directors, State Relations
608/262-8967