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Category: State news

Legislature passes voter ID bill; Walker to sign it Wednesday

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Wisconsin State Journal

The state Senate on Thursday gave final approval to a controversial bill requiring voters to show photo identification at the polls. The measure now heads to Gov. Scott Walker, who said he plans to sign it next Wednesday. Under the bill, a voter would have to present a driver?s license, a state ID, a passport, a military ID, naturalization papers or a tribal ID. College students could vote with a school ID as long as it has their signature and an expiration date within two years of the card?s issuance. University of Wisconsin IDs currently do not meet that criteria and would have to be updated to comply before students could use them to vote.

Capitol Report: New residency rules will be in place for recall elections

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Capital Times

Forget about voting in the July 12 recall elections if you move to Wisconsin after June 14. Under a proof-of-residency provision in the voter ID bill passed this week by the state Legislature, voters will now need to live in the state 28 days before an election — instead of 10 — in order to cast a ballot.

….Once fully implemented, the voter ID law will require voters to present a valid driver’s license, passport, tribal ID or naturalization papers to obtain a ballot. Student IDs are allowed but will need to include a current address, birth date, signature and expiration date. No college IDs used in the state, including those on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus, now meet those standards.

Campus Connection: Law school dean, regents bill and illegal immigrants

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Capital Times

Catching up on a couple higher education-related items …

** One of three finalists has withdrawn from consideration to be the next dean of the University of Wisconsin Law School, the Wisconsin Law Journal reports. Gene Nichol, professor and director of the Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity at the University of North Carolina School of Law, told the university of his decision earlier this week, the website reports. It?s not clear why he pulled his name. The two finalists still in the running are Nicholas Allard and Margaret Raymond.

** The Senate voted 25-7 to ensure each region of the state has a representative on the University of Wisconsin System’s Board of Regents, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. The measure next goes to the Assembly.

** States allowing illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition — instead of charging more costly out-of-state fees — have witnessed a 31-percent increase in that population’s college-going rate and a 14-percent drop in high-school dropouts among undocumented Latino students, according to a report out of Roger Williams University’s Latino Policy Institute.

Thank Democrats, unions for revenue boost

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Capital Times

Gov. Scott Walker has yet to implement any of his major economic initiatives. Thankfully. Yet the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau announced May 11 that, because of improved tax collection projections, Wisconsin has an extra $636 million for budgeting purposes. That?s a 1.6 percent increase in tax revenue over the next two years.

Arguments for autonomy: UW proposals make the case for taking control

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Wisconsin State Journal

This story appeared first in the Sunday edition of the Wisconsin State Journal newspaper.

UW-Oshkosh leaders argue they could save $20,000 a year by buying cheaper trash bags. UW-Madison officials say they could complete a $400,000 remodeling job in Sterling Hall in four months, rather than a year-and-a-half. And the UW-Parkside chancellor contends she would have an extra $50,000 each year in tuition revenue.

These are examples offered by University of Wisconsin System leaders of ways they could save money and time ? if only they had more freedom from state bureaucracy.

On Topic: Walker budget cuts will lead to cervical cancer deaths, hygiene lab doctor predicts

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Capital Times

The medical director of the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene says women will likely die of cervical cancer if Gov. Scott Walker?s budget proposal eliminating $266,400 for cervical cancer screening prevails.

“I see at least 1 – 2 high-grade lesions every day during cytologic evaluations,” Dr. Daniel Kurtycz says in prepared remarks to be given Wednesday to the Joint Finance Committee, which will consider Walker?s budget request.

Dave Zweifel’s Madison: Big names at aging groups’ convo and CapTimes’ readers can get deal

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Capital Times

The 34th annual state convention of the Coalition of Wisconsin Aging Groups, entitled “Moving Wisconsin Forward,” takes place this weekend in Madison, and readers of The Capital Times can get a special registration discount to attend. The two-day convention will include addresses by U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl, UW-Madison Chancellor Biddy Martin, former Gov. Patrick J. Lucey and Elizabeth Warren, head of the new U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

State Senate debates voter ID bill (AP)

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Appleton Post-Crescent

MADISON ? Democratic state senators tried Tuesday to derail a Republican-backed measure that would require Wisconsin voters to show photo identification at the polls starting next year, arguing there is no need for the measure that would be one of the most restrictive such laws in the country.

A different perspective on Madison split

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Green Bay Press-Gazette

In a recent guest column (Opinion, May 10), a University of Wisconsin System regent and member of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Advisory Council stated her case against the New Badger Partnership. As an alumnus of UW-Madison, I would like to offer a different perspective.

Senate Dems block Voter ID

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Wisconsin Radio Network

A late night debate on a bill that requires voters to show photo identification ends with Senate Democrats delaying its passage. During debate, Senator Kathleen Vinehout (D-Alma) was among Democrats who expressed concerns about rural citizens not having access to a DMV to get a state issued ID. She says in some areas, the service centers are only open once a month.

Round 2 on tap at state Capitol

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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Numbers from the state Department of Administration and the University of Wisconsin-Madison show how important the dues of public-employee union members are to those unions – dues Walker?s changes would dramatically cut, if not eliminate.

In one year, UW-Madison unionized workers and workers in agencies of state government controlled by the governor, paid $13.9 million in union dues, And, of that total, $8.2 million – or 59% – went to the Wisconsin State Employees Union.

Three decades of shrinking support for UW (Milwaukee News Buzz)

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State support for the UW System now makes up less than a quarter of the system?s total spending, according to a new report from the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance. Decades ago, state dollars funded almost half of the university system?s needs, but today, the colleges are far more dependent on tuition and fees paid by students. Lawmakers are considering Gov. Scott Walker?s proposal to split off UW-Madison as a public authority.

Madison360: Barrett steps up, but for another shot at Walker?

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“What I saw early this year (in Madison) was not our Wisconsin. You clearly had ideological forces trying to divide rather than bring us together.”

Another example of dividing people is Walker?s effort to try to split the “flagship university” from the rest of the system, a reference to the plan Walker developed with UW-Madison Chancellor Biddy Martin to separate the UW-Madison campus from the rest of the UW System. Walker is acting more as a king than a governor, according to a Barrett speech line.

Campus Connection: UW student government ‘neutral’ on New Badger Partnership

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Capital Times

The University of Wisconsin-Madison?s student government voted Saturday to stress it neither supports nor opposes Gov. Scott Walker?s proposal to grant Wisconsin?s flagship institution public authority status and break it away from the rest of the UW System.

The 18th session of the Associated Students of Madison?s Student Council passed a resolution which reads, in part, that it “remains neutral on the New Badger Partnership until the 18th session feels sufficient dialogue with (the) student body has been accomplished.”

Ted Voth Jr.: Don?t let Walker destroy the UW we love

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Capital Times

Dear Editor: I did a Jericho march on Sunday ? seven times around the Capitol Square. Many UW-Madison graduates were out being photographed by their proud parents. I congratulated them, the grads and their parents. Also congratulated them on possibly being the last class to graduate from the UW. All but a very few of the grads knew exactly what I meant.

Harry Peterson: Proposed UW System split is bad for UW-Madison

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Capital Times

….the chancellor is pushing a new argument, insisting that the only way to save UW-Madison from certain peril is to split from the UW System, creating an independent governing structure for the flagship campus. This is a major departure from the earlier argument, and many people think it is a bad idea ? both for UW-Madison and the other UW campuses.

I write as a longtime administrator at the UW-Madison and former chief of staff to Chancellor Donna Shalala. For eight of those years, I spent a great deal of time lobbying in the state Capitol for the university. I strongly agree that the restrictions on construction, hiring and budgeting should be changed. A separate governing board for the UW-Madison, however, would be harmful to my university.

Wis. Dems unveil job plan

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Madison.com

Senate Democrats have unveiled a package of tax credits they say are designed to create jobs. Their plan includes 15 health and bioscience positions at the the University of Wisconsin-Madison?s Institutes for Discovery. The package has little chance of becoming law.

Wis. Dems unveil job plan (AP)

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Chicago Tribune

Noted: They also want to create a venture capital investment fund, provide the University of Wisconsin-Madison?s Institutes for Discovery with 15 health and bioscience positions and fund 20 positions at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee?s School of Freshwater Science and School of Public Health.

Letter: Make UW-Madison a separate entity (Herald Times Reporter)

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Increasingly, government entities are required to run more like businesses. UW-Madison is no exception. To that end, the university seeks a New Badger Partnership with the state that allows it to search out efficiencies, recruit top talent and set priorities like any private company does. As Wisconsin?s major research university, UW-Madison requires a different way of doing business and should be established as a public authority.

Stoughton struggles to keep Norwegian heritage alive

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Wisconsin State Journal

It?s easy to claim some Norwegian pride this weekend when up to 30,000 people flood Stoughton streets to sample lutefisk and admire rosemaling during the annual Syttende Mai celebration. But maintaining that heritage the other 51 weeks of the year has been difficult as fewer people in this city south of Madison identify with Norwegian ancestry and local Norwegian groups face declining and aging membership.

….Part of the challenge could be that young people with European ancestry are less likely than their parents or grandparents to immediately associate with their ethnicity – a trend Jim Leary, who teaches folklore and Scandinavian studies at UW-Madison, has noticed in his classroom over the last decade.

Chancellor: No concealed carry on UW campus

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Capital Times

UW-Madison Chancellor Biddy Martin is urging state lawmakers to exempt university property from any legislation allowing residents to legally carry concealed weapons.

“All grounds and facilities are already off-limits to the open carry law currently in effect,” Martin said in a news release Thursday. “It is a long-held tradition that no weapons should be allowed on campus.”

Big union rally planned on Capitol Square on Saturday

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Capital Times

Families in town for college graduation ceremonies this weekend can check out or join protests at the State Capitol, where a big “We Are Wisconsin” rally is set for Saturday afternoon. The Wisconsin AFL-CIO is calling on its union members to rally again against Gov. Scott Walker, the Republican-dominated Legislature and legislation drastically limiting collective bargaining for public workers.

Battle over UW-system continues

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Wisconsin Radio Network

The battle over the future of the University of Wisconsin System continues. UW-System leaders Wednesday sent an open letter to all state legislators calling for new leadership flexibility, as contained in their Wisconsin Idea Partnership.

Campus Connection: Leaders of UW System, UW-Madison remain divided

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Capital Times

Catching up on a couple higher education-related items …

** Leaders from across the University of Wisconsin System — at least those not affiliated with UW-Madison — continue to push hard for statutory changes which would allow all UW campuses some long-sought freedoms from state oversight.

** UW-Madison is closing in on hiring a new dean of its Law School.

** Song Jin, an associate professor in UW-Madison’s department of chemistry, was honored as a Scialog Fellow and awarded a $100,000 grant for “enabling solar energy conversion using rational and scalable growth of 1D nanomaterials made of inexpensive semiconductors.” According to a news release, these solar energy grants are designed to fund innovative research that can be quickly applied and developed by business and industry.

** It’s hard to believe it’s graduation time once again. Philanthropists John and Tashia Morgridge will deliver the charge to the graduates at UW-Madison’s four undergraduate commencement ceremonies on Saturday and Sunday at the Kohl Center.

GOP: $636M boost to Wis. Budget won’t help unions

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Madison.com

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker refused Wednesday to back down from his plan to take away nearly all collective bargaining rights from most public workers and force them to pay more for benefits, despite news that the state?s budget is in better shape than previously expected. Walker pushed for the collective bargaining concessions as a way to help address the state?s projected $3.6 billion budget shortfall. But on Wednesday, a new economic forecast said the state will receive $636 million more in tax collections than expected when Walker unveiled his plan _ almost double what would be saved through forcing workers to pay more for health and insurance benefits. No matter the spin, the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau?s more positive economic forecast will almost certainly increase the pressure on Walker and the Legislature to rethink some of the most dramatic cuts in the governor?s budget. Those include $1 billion in cuts to schools and local governments, a $250 million cut to the University of Wisconsin System, and changes to the popular SeniorCare prescription drug program.

Wis. Assembly passes voter ID bill

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Madison.com

The Wisconsin state Assembly passed a bill Wednesday requiring voters to show photo identification at the polls, a longtime priority of Republicans who finally have the power to enact the law this year. The Assembly passed the bill 60-35, despite objections from Democrats who argued the new photo ID requirement, along with other changes affecting voter registration and qualifications to vote, will create chaos and confusion at the polls. One addition allows students to use college IDs. At one point, the bill would have required the student?s address and date of birth to be on the cards. Those requirements were taken off after security concerns were raised by UW-Madison, because the cards also provide access to residence halls. Under the version passed Wednesday, the ID cards must include the student?s signature and expiration date no farther out than two years after the card was issued. University of Wisconsin IDs currently do not meet that criteria, meaning they would have to be redone to be used by students to vote.

Assembly approves voter ID bill

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Wisconsin Radio Network

After nearly seven hours of debate, the state Assembly on Wednesday night passed a controversial bill requiring voters to show a photo ID at the polls. State Representative Jeff Stone (R-Greendale) says it will help prevent fraud at the ballot box, and sets a hurdle 95-percent of voters can already overcome.

Walker responds to revenue projections

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Wisconsin Radio Network

Governor Scott Walker says encouraging new state revenue projections don?t change the need for changes to collective bargaining. The state is projected to collect some $636 million dollars over the next two years, according to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau and state Revenue Department.

On Campus: University of Wisconsin-Madison chancellor reaches out to 130,000 alumni by phone

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Wisconsin State Journal

About 130,000 UW-Madison alumni in the state of Wisconsin got a recorded message from Chancellor Biddy Martin last night, inviting them to take part in a Tele-Town Hall. Paid for by the Wisconsin Alumni Association, alumni who stayed on the line could take part in a one-hour conversation with Martin about the budget proposal for public authority status for UW-Madison, known as the New Badger Partnership.