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Capitol Capsules

December 9, 2003

Universities panel to meet
The Assembly Colleges and Universities Committee is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, Dec. 16, at 10 a.m. in Room 225-Northwest of the State Capitol. The committee is expected to take up the following legislation:

  • Assembly Bill 406, which would require colleges and universities to re-enroll persons called into active military service in the first or second semesters after they are discharged from service.
  • AB 422, which would increase from $2,200 to $3,200 the maximum amount of Indian student assistance grants.
  • AB 497, a bill that would allow certain sexual harassment and sexual assault information, which is required to be distributed to UW students, to be provided electronically. The Senate Committee on Higher Education and Tourism has already unanimously approved the Senate companion bill, Senate Bill 247.
  • AB 540, which would establish a UW employee code of ethics that would require all unclassified personnel to annually disclose income received from any source other than direct pay from the university. This could include income from patents, royalties, honorariums, consulting services and grants that are a result of the employee’s professional experience and expertise. The proposal directs the state Ethics Board to maintain or participate in a Web site where this information is to be posted.

The committee may also consider:

  • AB 366, a bill that would mandate the transfer of certain credits between UW System and Wisconsin Technical College System.
  • AB 403, which would regulate athlete agents.
  • AB 543, which would remove the exemption related to open-meeting notice requirements for UW department and other meetings.
  • AB 558, which would require the Board of Regents to take a roll-call vote on all matters.

Legislation introduced
Rep. Phil Montgomery, R-Green Bay, has introduced legislation (AB 683) that would allow more than one financial institution to be named as a vendor for the EdVest program and require the Department of Administration to consider specific criteria when evaluating vendors to ensure the integrity of the EdVest program. The bill was referred to the Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities.

Sen. Dave Hansen, D-Green Bay, has introduced legislation (SB 319) that would create a “Manufacturing Competitiveness Grant Program” and a board to administer $9.5 million in grants to the UW System Board of Regents, the Wisconsin Technical College System Board and certain entities that assist manufacturers. Uses for a grant include assisting a manufacturer in improving productivity, reducing operation costs, using new technology in manufacturing, improving work-force skills, creating products, or opening sales in new markets. The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Economic Development, Job Creation and Housing.

The text and history of all legislation: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/billtext.html.

Legislation circulating
Rep. Jeff Stone, R-Greenfield, is circulating draft legislation that would prohibit certain UW System administrators from serving on the boards of directors of certain corporations.

Hansen is circulating legislation that would require the president and chancellors of the UW System campuses to obtain the approval of the Ethics Board before accepting compensation for serving on a corporation’s board of directors.

For information, contact Kristi Thorson, 263-5510, kthorson@bascom.wisc.edu.