Senate Committee On Agriculture, Revenue, & Financial Institutions- February 6 recap

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The Senate Committee on Agriculture, Revenue, & Financial Institutions held an executive session on Thursday, February 6, and heard the following bill related to UW System:

  • SB-645 Tax Exemption: A sales and use tax exemption for building materials that become a part of a facility for the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics Authority

The Committee voted to pass SB 645, including Amendment 1, in a 9-0 vote.

Following the executive session, the Committee held a public hearing and heard the following bills relating to UW System:

  • SB-563 Extension Services: funding for certain extension services of the University of Wisconsin System and making an appropriation
  • JR0 SB4 Extension Ag Positions: county-based agriculture positions in the Division of Extension of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and making an appropriation.

President Ray Cross registered in favor of both these bills, and UW-Madison provided testimony for both bills.

Assembly Committee on Environment- February 6 public hearing recap

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The Assembly Committee on Environment held a public hearing on Thursday, February 6, and heard the following bill relating to UW System:

  • AB-842 PFAS Programs: providing funding related to PFAS programs and positions, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation.
  • AB-843 PFAS Standards: PFAS standards and grant programs, providing blood testing for certain individuals, requiring a cancer cluster study, extending the time limit for emergency rule procedures, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures, and granting rule-making authority.

President Ray Cross registered in favor of both bills.

Assembly Committee on Agriculture- February 6 executive session recap

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The Assembly Committee on Agriculture held an executive session on Thursday, February 6 and heard the following bill related to UW System:

  • AB-796– Nitrate Reduction Pilot: creating a pilot grant program for farmers to reduce nitrate loading, funding research for nitrate loading reduction methods, extending the time limit for emergency rule procedures, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation.

The Committee passed the bill, including Amendment 1, in a 15–0 vote.

Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy- February 7 public hearing recap

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The Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy held a public hearing on Friday, February 7, and heard the following bills relating to UW System:

  • SB-772 PFAS Standards: PFAS standards and grant programs, providing blood testing for certain individuals, requiring a cancer cluster study, extending the time limit for emergency rule procedures, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures, and granting rule-making authority
  • SB-773 PFAS Programs: providing funding related to PFAS programs and positions, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation

President Ray Cross registered in favor of both bills.

Board of Regents- February meeting recap

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The February Board of Regents was held in Madison on Thursday, February 7 and Friday, February 8.

On Thursday, the Regents heard a variety of presentations and focused on exploring strategies to narrow the achievement gap. In addition, the Business and Finance Committee voted unanimously to approve changes to nonresident and graduate student tuition rates at six institutions: UW-Milwaukee, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Platteville, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, and UW-Whitewater. The change will increase nonresident tuition between one and five percent, with exceptions for specific graduate programs at UW-Milwaukee and UW-River Falls. The Capital Planning and Budget Committee also approved several projects, which can be found on the UW System news release  summary of the Thursday meeting.

On Friday, the Regents approved a proposal to revise a recently approved Regent Policy for “Contracts with Research Companies,” to comply with the recently enacted 2019 Act 36, with an additional amendment proposed by UW-Madison.  The Regents also approved guidelines for the first-time administration of the Wisconsin Merit Scholarship program, which was created by 2017 Act 314. See the news summary for a full summary of the Friday meeting.

Assembly Session on February 11

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The Assembly will be in session on Tuesday, February 11 and will hear the following bills relating to UW System:

  • AB-444 UW Free Expression: free expression within the University of Wisconsin System, providing an exemption from rule-making procedures, and granting rule-making authority.
  • AB-531 ID Card Info: requiring that student identification cards include contact information for suicide prevention hotlines.

Assembly Committee on Agriculture on February 11

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The Assembly Committee on Agriculture will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, February 11, staring at 8:30 a.m. The Committee will hear the following bills relating to UW System:

  • AB 874 UW System Ag Study: requiring a study by the University of System of agricultural programs and issues.
  • AB-627 Extension Services: funding for certain extension services of the University of Wisconsin System and making an appropriation.
  • AB 876 UW Madison Study: requiring the University of Wisconsin-Madison to conduct a research study on developing an agricultural science and technology program.

Following the public hearing, the Committee will hold an executive session and will hear all three bills listed above.

All In Wisconsin Campaign to begin phase 2

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Phase 2 of the All In Wisconsin statewide tour will kick off on February 14 with a stop in UW-Milwaukee. The remaining campus stops will be:

  • UW-Madison- March 13
  • UW-Platteville – April 17
  • UW-Green Bay- May 21

The tour is designed to strengthen current relationships and form new collaborations with businesses and community partners around the state. The UW System’s All In Wisconsin campaign celebrates the unique value each UW university brings to Wisconsin, highlighting how students, faculty, and staff touch every corner of Wisconsin—and even have a global reach. You can read some of these stories by visiting the All In Wisconsin website.

You can also share your story about how you or someone you know is contributing to the inspiring work at our university campuses throughout Wisconsin. Use this online form to submit your story and feel free to share the link with others.

Senate Session on February 19

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The Senate is expected to be in session on Wednesday, February 19, likely to start at 1:00 p.m.  We will continue to update the state relations newsletter with information as it become available.

Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy- public hearing and executive session on February 5

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The Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy will hold a public hearing and an executive session on Wednesday, February 5, starting at 10:00am. The Committee will hear the following bill relating to UW System:

  • SB 722– 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

President Cross will submit written testimony in favor of this bill similar to the testimony submitted for the Assembly companion bill.

See the public hearing notice.

The committee will also hold an executive session and consider the following bills related to UW System:

  • SB-712– Freshwater Collaborative: funding a University of Wisconsin System freshwater collaborative and making an appropriation.
  • SB 709– Water Policy Office: creating an office of water policy and making an appropriation.

See the Executive Session notice.