The Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy held a public hearing on Wednesday, January 29 and heard SB-712– Freshwater Collaborative: funding a University of Wisconsin System freshwater collaborative and making an appropriation. President Ray Cross submitted written testimony in favor of SB 712, attached below. In addition, UW System institutions attended the hearing to provide testimony, including: UW-Superior, UW-Green Bay, UW-Whitewater, UW-Parkside, UW-Madison, UW-Eau Claire, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Milwaukee, and UW-La Crosse. UW-Platteville and UW-Oshkosh provided written testimony. AB 801, the companion bill to SB 712, was heard in the Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities on Thursday, January 30. The Assembly committee also heard AB 800– Groundwater Quality – supporting the Center for Watershed Science and Education, creating a hydrogeologist position, funding research on phosphorus recovery and reuse, creating grant programs for counties to test wells and provide public education, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation. UW Stevens Point, UW-Platteville, and UW-Madison provided testimony. President Cross also provided written testimony in favor of AB 800.