May 16, 2005
UW BUDGET SCHEDULED FOR FINANCE COMMITTEE ACTION
The Legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance (JFC) has announced that it plans to vote on the UW System budget this Wednesday or Thursday. Papers from which the members will be voting are available at http://www.legis.state.wi.us/lfb/2005-07budget/BudgetPapers/May18.htm (Click on “UW System.”) Also of interest to the UW, tomorrow the Committee is scheduled to take up the Higher Educational Aids Board budget (which includes the state’s financial aid programs) and UW Hospitals and Clinics Board. Those budget papers are available at http://www.legis.state.wi.us/lfb/2005-07budget/BudgetPapers/May17.htm.
A complete summary of JFC action on the UW System budget will be sent as a separate budget update once action is complete. Please note, however, that the schedule is subject to change and action could be delayed until early next week.
If you are interested in listening to the Finance Committee’s deliberations, you can do so over the internet. A link to the audio broadcast is available on the legislature’s home page at http://www.legis.state.wi.us/.
For more information on the 2005-07 biennial budget, please visit the state relations web site at www.staterelations.wisc.edu/0507budget.html.
HEARING ON AUDIT OF STATE CAR FLEET SET FOR TOMORROW Tomorrow the Joint Legislative Audit Committee will hold a hearing on the Legislative Audit Bureau’s report on the on management of the state’s car fleet. One of the findings that was met with legislative concern is the fact that all UW chancellors and the UW System president receive a $700 a month car allowance in addition to being reimbursed for business-related mileage. Representatives from UW System Administration and the Board of Regents are planning to testify at the hearing, which will be held at 10:00 a.m. in room 411-South. The hearing is also scheduled to be broadcast over the internet. Visit the legislature’s home page, http://www.legis.state.wi.us/, for more information about the broadcast.
The audit report is available at http://www.legis.state.wi.us/lab/ (click on “state fleet management"). To see the Audit Committee’s co-chairs’ reaction, please see http://www.thewheelerreport.com/releases/May05/May4/0504roesslerautoaudit.PDF.
VETERANS TUITION BILLS TO RECEIVE VOTE TOMORROW The Assembly Committee on Veterans Affairs is expected to vote on Assembly Bills 317 and 318 tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. in room 400-Northeast. An executive session originally set a couple of weeks ago had been cancelled. Assembly Bill 317, authored by Rep. Gabe Loeffelholz (R-Platteville) 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. Assembly Bill 318, also authored by Loeffelholz, provides a 50 percent tuition waiver for all veterans deemed eligible for state veterans benefits.
EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION BILL TO HAVE HEARING The Assembly Family Law Committee has scheduled a hearing on Assembly Bill 343 for Thursday, May 26, at 10:00 a.m. in room 417-North of the State Capitol. AB 343 would prohibit UW System from advertising, prescribing or dispensing emergency contraception or allowing those activities to take place on UW property. The Regent’s position in opposition to the bill will be available soon at http://www.uwsa.edu/univ_rel/govrel/pending/index.htm.
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