SAA Testifies on Firearm Education Bill
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | August 3, 2017
SAA Executive Director John Forester testified today for information only on Assembly Bill 427, relating to comprehensive firearm education for high school pupils. The testimony was delivered at a public hearing before the Assembly Committee on Education.
At the same hearing, the SAA also registered its support for Assembly Bill 398, relating to summer school and interim session classes.
Topics: SAA Capitol Reports, SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update | No Comments »
Bill Repealing DOT School Bus Rule Signed Into Law
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | August 3, 2017
Senate Bill 134, which would repeal a Department of Transportation rule prohibiting the purchase for use in school transportation of a school bus previously titled and registered in another state or jurisdiction if the bus is more than five years old, was signed into law by Governor Walker as Act 49. The bill was authored by Senator LeMahieu and Representative Horlacher. The SAA supported the bill.
Topics: Legislative Action, SAA Capitol Reports, SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update | No Comments »
Fitzgerald, Vos Disagree Over Foxconn Bill Process
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | August 2, 2017
From WisPolitics.com …
Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said it’s “more important” to get the state budget done, while Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said he thinks the Foxconn bill should be the priority.
Vos added it would be “ideal” if the budget and Foxconn bills could progress concurrently, but Fitzgerald showed no interest in that approach.
“We’re still focused on: Let’s get the state budget done. Let’s get K-12 their funding numbers. Let’s make sure that everyone knows that we’ve got this under control before we try and jump in with both feet on Foxconn,” Fitzgerald said.
The Juneau Republican said Walker “was great” in responding to questions from GOP senators in today’s caucus.
But he said his caucus wants to wait for a full analysis from the Legislative Fiscal Bureau to answer questions that members have. That includes whether any incentives might be paid out this year if construction on the Foxconn facility kicks off. Another question, he said, is how the $3 billion in incentives would spread out throughout the years.
He said he disagreed with Vos’ approach to refer the bill to the Assembly’s Jobs and the Economy Committee instead of placing that bill directly in the Joint Finance Committee, which oversees budget issues. Vos said the bill could still end up at JFC, but made no commitment to send it there.
Fitzgerald said he talked to Sen. Dan Feyen, R-Fond du Lac, who chairs a similar committee in the Senate, about why he thinks why JFC is the “appropriate place for this to be.” The JFC, he said, should hold a public hearing on the bill and an executive session.
Fitzgerald said a JFC meeting isn’t likely until the week of Aug. 21, when it looks the committee might have the “three days they probably need to wrap up the state budget.”
“If they want to also have a public hearing on Foxconn that day … I think I’m open to that, but, you know, it’s more important to get the state budget done,” he said.
Vos, meanwhile, said he’s looking forward to sitting down with the Senate again on the budget, but pointed out the Assembly has already accepted Walker’s latest offer on transportation, a key hurdle in negotiations.
That approach would take $203.5 million Walker had wanted to put toward income tax cuts and instead use the money for a cash investment in road projects. The guv also has proposed only doing additional bonding for transportation if the state received federal money to help cover the costs of borrowing.
With that discussion continuing, Vos said his caucus wants to make sure the Foxconn bill moves.
“For us, the biggest priority is making sure that we have Foxconn moving along because we know that the sooner we’re able to do our due diligence on the legislation, the sooner they’re able to choose a site and hopefully begin construction, start employing people and get money into the pockets of everyday Wisconsinites.”
The Rochester Republican also noted the Foxconn bill would have little impact on the 2017-19 state budget. There is a provision that would set aside $10 million for grants to local units of government to help with their costs, including infrastructure and public safety. The bill also calls for $252.4 million in general obligation supported borrowing for I-94 north-south, though that would be contingent on the state receiving federal aid. If that happened, the state’s payment on the bonds would be $2.9 million in the 2017-19 biennium.
He also held off committing his caucus to the Foxconn bill as drafted, saying Assembly Republicans only went through policy aspects of the bill today and were awaiting a more in-depth look at the financial side.
“I don’t want to prejudge that the bill is perfect just like it’s drafted or that it requires changes,” Vos said. “That’s why we want to have a good, long, thorough process in the Jobs and Economy Committee to see what positive changes need to happen to make this bill the best it can be.”
See Wisconsin State Journal coverage here.
Topics: SAA Capitol Reports, SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update | No Comments »
Boardman & Clark: Annual Notices Information
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | July 31, 2017
From the Legal Side…
The Boardman & Clark law firm recently published this School Law FYI regarding the annual notices that school districts are required to provide to students, parents, and/or the public. The SAA regularly receives these updates and we believe this is valuable information for SAA members. We are distributing this update to SAA members with the permission of Boardman & Clark.
Topics: SAA Capitol Reports, SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update, SAA Legal Side | No Comments »
School Districts Would Pay for Large Share of Vouchers Under Senate Plan
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | July 26, 2017
As reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, a budget plan proposed by Senate Republicans would increase funding for the state’s three main private school voucher programs by nearly $60 million over the next two years, according to an analysis by the Legislative Fiscal Bureau made public on Tuesday. Check out the news story here. See the LFB analysis here.
Topics: SAA Capitol Reports, SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update | No Comments »