School Law Update: ACA IRS Filing Deadline Extended
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | January 5, 2016
From the Legal Side…
The Boardman & Clark law firm recently published this School Law Update that recaps a recent IRS notice extending the deadlines for employers to file health insurance coverage returns with the IRS and furnish employees with those returns, as required under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). 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 »
SAA Members Testify on Referendum Bill
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | December 18, 2015
The following SAA members testified in opposition to AB 481, relating to school referenda, at the public hearing before the Assembly Education Committee yesterday.
Charles Poches and Margaret Rudolph from Portage
Bob Chady from Marshall
Bruce Quinton from Pepin
Ken Bates from Green Lake
Steve Sedlymayr from Alma
Stan Mack from Oshkosh
Hats off to these members for their advocacy efforts on behalf of Wisconsin school children.
Topics: Legislative Action, SAA Capitol Reports, SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update | No Comments »
Priority Legislative Alert on Assembly Bill 481
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | December 15, 2015
The SAA is issuing a Priority Legislative Alert on Assembly Bill 481.
Assembly Bill 481 (AB 481), relating to school referenda, will have a public hearing before the Assembly Education Committee at 10:00am on Thursday, December 17, 2015 in Room 417 North, State Capitol. You might recall that AB 481 would place restrictions on school district referenda ballot dates and implement a 2-year waiting period following failed referenda. The SAA is strongly opposed to the bill.
We believe the most effective testimony on this damaging legislation will come from those in the field that are living this issue. If you believe you have a compelling story to tell and would like to testify on AB 481 this Thursday, please call John Forester at 608-242-1370 as soon as possible. You can also respond to this legislative alert by writing to key members of the Assembly Education Committee and your own legislators, of course.
We urge SAA members to take action now! Please contact Rep. Jeremy Thiesfeldt (Chairman of the Assembly Education Committee) and Rep. Sondy Pope in opposition to AB 481. Representative Pope is ranking Democrat on the Assembly Education Committee. We recommend that you frame your communication drawing from the talking points below and add any personal reflections that complement this information. In addition to contacting Rep. Thiesfeldt and Rep. Pope, it is extremely important that you copy your own Assembly Representative and State Senator on this communication.
Talking points:
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This bill is anti-local control.
- With revenue limits frozen for this budget cycle for the first time, referenda are the only way many districts can access resources. This proposal will significantly impact declining enrollment districts which are often small rural school districts many of which need referenda to maintain educational opportunities for children. This bill, if adopted, could have the effect of forcing districts to consider dissolving or consolidating if they cannot pass such referenda and are barred from going back to their voters for two years (or more).
- This bill will further exacerbate the trend of creating “Haves” who can pass referenda and “Have Nots” who cannot. Opportunities for students will further be determined by their zip code.
- The bill is extremely restrictive and inflexible for school boards – under the bill in odd number years boards will only have one opportunity to go to referendum (in the spring). If that referendum fails, boards will have to wait two years to the next odd number year where once again there will only be one opportunity. In a state budget year a district would have to wait until the following spring to react to funding decisions made by the state.
- Limiting referendum date selection for capital projects such as new buildings, renovations or additions will reduce the effective planning of these projects to meet the needs of students and citizens. What’s more, a poorly-timed referendum date could add to the construction time-frame and possibly increase costs to taxpayers.
For your convenience in contacting your legislators, we have provided links to the Assembly Directory, the Senate Directory and Who Are My Legislators.
If you should have any questions please email me. Thanks for listening and, as always, thank you for everything you do on behalf of Wisconsin school children.
Topics: Legislative Action, SAA Capitol Reports, SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update | No Comments »
Assembly Education Public Hearing Thursday
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | December 14, 2015
The Assembly Education Committee will hold a public hearing on the following four bills at 9:30am on Thursday, December 17 in Room 417 North, State Capitol.
- AB 481 — school referenda
- AB 581 — licenses to teach vocational subjects
- AB 517 — reporting crimes and other incidents that occur on school property
- AB 602 — accrediting entities for private schools participating in a parental choice program
Topics: SAA Capitol Reports, SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update | No Comments »
Public Hearing on Referendum Bill This Thursday?
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | December 14, 2015
Sources inside the Capitol have indicated that Representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt (R – Fond du Lac), Chairman of the Assembly Education Committee, will likely agree to hear AB 481 (school referenda) at the Committee’s public hearing on Thursday, December 17th. We will not know for sure if AB 481 is on the Committee’s hearing agenda until later today when Rep. Thiesfeldt issues the public notice for the hearing.
You might recall that AB 481 would place restrictions on school district referenda ballot dates and implement a 2-year waiting period following failed referenda.
The SAA will inform the membership of the hearing agenda once the public notice is issued.
Topics: Legislative Action, SAA Capitol Reports, SAA Capitol Reports with Email Notifications, SAA Latest Update | No Comments »