Legislative Update for Wisconsin Technical Colleges

November 17, 2021

 

Fall Session Legislative Update for Technical Colleges

Last week the Legislature held their final floor sessions of calendar year 2021. The next floor period begins January 18^th, 2022. Here’s a status update on bills of interest to Wisconsin’s technical colleges. As always, you may direct questions on pending legislation to Layla Merrifield. Visit the archived list of Legislative Updates for all prior Legislative Updates. If this update was forwarded to you, you can also sign up to receive updates directly at that URL.

• AB-38/SB-44 would exempt veterans and members of the armed forces from admissions application fees at UW and technical colleges. The Assembly Committee on College and Universities recommended the bill for passage on March 25^th, but no further action was taken.
• AB-56/SB-76 (Signed into law as 2021 Act 61) Under current law, local units of government and tax increment districts (TIDs) receive state aid to compensate for personal property taxes that they would have collected on tax exempt computers and certain machinery. The legislation clarifies that following termination of a TID, the amount of aid that would have been paid to the TID is distributed to the other underlying taxing jurisdictions. The Assembly passed the bill on a voice vote June 22nd, with the Senate concurring the following day. The Governor signed the legislation on July 8^th, 2021.
• AB-60/SB-55 would allow local units of government to satisfy their obligation to publish their proceedings by posting a copy on their internet site and send a copy to a newspaper likely to give notice within the territory of the government unit. Current law requires that the newspaper must be published within the jurisdiction in order to satisfy the legal obligation. The bill passed the Senate on February 16^th, but has not received a hearing in the Assembly.
• AB-64/SB-72 would provide technical college farmer tuition assistance grants. The Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities unanimously recommended passage on March 25^th, while the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Tourism unanimously recommended passage on February 11^th, 2021. No further action was taken.
• AB-115/SB-125 would create an individual income tax subtraction for tuition paid for apprenticeship programs. The bill was recommended for passage by both Workforce Development committees in April. The Senate bill passed the Senate 19-13 on October 25^th, and the Assembly concurred the following day on a vote of 60-35. The Governor has not yet acted.
• AB-169/SB-181 would authorize the licensure of dental therapists in Wisconsin. The bill passed the Senate unanimously on April 14^th. The Assembly has yet to take action.
• AB-195/SB-323 would designate UW and technical college sports and athletic teams based on the sex of the participants. This bill passed the Assembly by a vote of 59-38 on June 16^th, 2021. However, on October 19^th, the Senate committee on Human Services, Children and Families voted down concurrence in the controversial bill, on a vote of 2-3.
• AB-266/SB-291 would eliminate s. 36.31(1) restrictions on the respective educational roles of the UW System (“semi-professional” programs) and the Technical College System (transfer degree programs). The bill won support in the Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities and was recommended for passage by a vote of 10-5 on June 2^nd, 2021. No further action was taken.
• AB-275/SB-157 would provide grants to technical college and tribal college students for apprenticeship expenses. The Senate Committee on Workforce Development recommended passage on April 8th, but no further action was taken. We have supported this “Tools of the Trade” bill for many years. The legislation would provide public matching funds for private scholarships from Ascendium, which assist apprentices with expenses related to their work and education. The bill passed the Senate Committee on Economic and Workforce Development unanimously on April 8^th. No further action was taken.
• AB-294/SB-313 would expand the technical college fees that are covered by the Wisconsin GI Bill to require activity and incidental fee remissions. Assembly Colleges and Universities held a hearing in June and recommended passage on October 7^th. The Senate committee held a hearing on September 22^nd, but no further action was taken.
• AB-347/SB-375 would prohibit UW or technical colleges from requiring COVID-19 vaccinations or testing for students as a condition of enrollment. The Assembly Committee on Constitution and Ethics recommended the bill for passage on November 15^th by a vote of 6-3. The Senate Committee on Universities and Technical Colleges has yet to schedule a hearing.
• AB-413/SB-409 would prohibit anti-racism and anti-sexism student instruction and anti-racism and anti-sexism training for employees of UW and technical colleges. Assembly Colleges and Universities held a hearing October 7^th, which received a large amount of public testimony. The Senate committee has yet to schedule a hearing.
• AB-428/SB-421 was introduced by the Joint Legislative Council and would add to the membership of the Higher Educational Aids Board (HEAB) one member of a tribal college’s board, one tribal college financial aid administrator, and one tribal college student, in addition to the current K-12, UW, and WTCS representatives, in order to provide equitable representation to tribal colleges on the Board. No action was taken.
• AB-475/SB-448 would include with a referendum question for issuing bonds a statement of the estimated interest accruing on the amount of the bonds. The Assembly Committee on Government Accountability held a hearing on October 6^th, while the Senate has yet to schedule a hearing.

Newly circulated proposals include:

• LRB-2125/3, which would regulate campus free speech and academic freedom for UW and technical colleges, prohibiting designated “free speech zones” and other restrictions in campus policies. The legislation would remove eligibility for need-based Wisconsin Grants for colleges found in violation of the legislation twice within a 10-year period. Among other provisions, legislative standing committees would be empowered to make findings of violations. Colleges that lose eligibility would be required to provide equivalent aid to qualifying students using institutional aid. The college would also have the option of dismissing the administrator responsible for the violation, in order to regain their Wisconsin Grant eligibility.
• LRB-5012/1 would provide that, if UW and technical colleges require COVID-19 vaccinations for students, and if a student left their program of study in order to avoid the vaccine, then the UW or technical college would be required to refund tuition for the entirety of the student’s program.

For more information on these efforts, please contact Layla Merrifield.