September 20, 2005
SENATE HIGHER EDUCATION COMMITTEE PUBLIC HEARING SET
The Senate Higher Education and Tourism Committee is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the nomination of Tom Loftus to the UW System Board of Regents on Wednesday, September 21st, at 10:30 a.m. in room 300-Southeast of the Capitol. The Committee will also hear testimony on Senate Bill 279 which relates to creation of a college transfer program in certain Wisconsin Technical College districts.
SENATE, ASSEMBLY IN SESSION NEXT TWO WEEKS, REGENT CONFIRMATIONS ON TAP FOR SENATE
The State Assembly is in session September 20, 27 and 28 while the Senate is scheduled for the 20, 22 and 27. The Fall session runs until Dec. 15 with floor periods set for October 25-27, November 1-3, 8-10 and December 6-8, 13-15.
The State Senate is expected to consider confirmation of the appointments of Regents Michael J. Spector and Judith VanderMeulen Crain and Student Regent Christopher Semanas September 27 or 28. If approved by the Committee, the appointment of Tom Lotftus could also be scheduled then as well.
SENATE TO TAKE UP CLONING BAN
As soon as next week, the Senate could take up Assembly Bill 499, a bill that would ban and criminalize reproductive and therapeutic cloning. The bill, approved by the Assembly in June on a mostly party-line vote, 59-38, came after a long debate which included the approval three minor amendments. A fourth amendment, supported by UW-Madison, was offered by Representative Gregg Underheim (R-Oshkosh) and would have allowed therapeutic cloning. The amendment was defeated 56-42 with seven majority Republicans voting to support the change and three democrats in opposition. A similar amendment is expected to be introduced in the Senate.
A list of how legislators voted on the bill and amendments is available at:
Rep. Underheim amendment
http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/votes/av0222.pdf
Final passage of AB 499
http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/votes/av0223.pdf
Additional information on this bill and other stem cell related items can be found at:
http://www.staterelations.wisc.edu/stemcells.html
LEGISLATION INTRODUCED
LRB 2240/2 - Streamlining the start-up technology process
At the request of UW-Madison and the Governor, Senators Ted Kanavas (R- Brookfield) and Fred Risser (D-Madison) and Representatives Andy Lamb (R-Menomonie) and Therese Berceau (Madison) introduced legislation that would create an exemption for certain campus spin-off companies that contract with the university for the purchase of goods or services if the contract evaluated by a campus review process, independent of the faculty or staff member involved with the company, shows there is not a conflict of interest. The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Job Creation, Economic Development and Consumer Affairs and is expected to get a public hearing soon.
LEGISLATION CIRCULATING
LRB 2508/3 - Changing the Formula for Higher Education Aids Grants
State Representatives Joe Parisi (Madison) and Spencer Black (Madison) are circulating legislation for co-sponsorship that would change the way higher education grants, tuition grants, and Lawton minority undergraduate grants are calculated. This includes grants for UW system students, technical college students and tribal college students. This proposal would effectively freeze tuition for students receiving these grants by requiring the state to match any increases in tuition with an increase in financial aid on a dollar for dollar, rather than percentage, basis.
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