June 20, 2005
BILL TO BAN ALL CLONING TO HAVE HEARING TODAY
Late last Thursday the Assembly Committee on Children and Families and the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Corrections and Privacy announced they are having a joint hearing today (Monday) on a bill that would ban and criminalize reproductive and therapeutic cloning. The legislation has been introduced as Assembly Bill 499 and Senate Bill 243.
UW-Madison Chancellor John Wiley will be testifying in opposition to the bill at the hearing, which is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. in room 411-South of the State Capitol. UW-Madison Professor Alta Charo will also be testifying against the bill. Their testimony will highlight the need to ban reproductive cloning, which creates babies, but to leave researchers the option of pursuing therapeutic cloning to study diseases and potentially use the technique for treatment or cures. Copies of the testimony will be available on the state relations web page later this week.
The Committees are expected to vote on these bills as early as today with action by the full legislature possible this week.
ASSEMBLY PASSES BILL TO BAN EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION ON UW CAMPUSES, BILL TO REQUIRE COLLEGE RE-ENROLLMENT FOR CERTAIN MEMBERS OF MILITARY
Last Thursday the Assembly passed 49-41 a bill (Assembly Bill 343) that would prohibit UW System campuses from advertising, prescribing or dispensing emergency contraception or allowing those activities to take place on UW property. A list of how legislators voted on the bill, which was opposed by UW-Madison and the UW Board of Regents, is available at http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/votes/av0152.pdf. The bill now goes to the full Senate for consideration, where it was referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Children, Families, Aging and Long Term Care.
Earlier in the week the Assembly unanimously passed legislation (Assembly Bill 378) that would require college re-enrollment of persons called into active military service. The bill now goes to the Senate, where it was referred to the Senate Committee on Veterans, Homeland Security, Military Affairs, Small Business and Government Reform.
BILL TO PROVIDE UW WITH UTILITY FUNDING PASSES LEGISLATURE
Last week both the Assembly and the Senate unanimously passed legislation (Assembly Bill 438) that provides funding in the current fiscal year for the UW System for energy-related and utility-related expenses by about $20 million and for additional items in other state agencies. The bill now goes the Governor for his signature.
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