Wisconsin 2023-2024 Regular Session

Wisconsin Assembly Bill AB995 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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1	1	LRB-0922/1
2	2	ARG:amn
3	3	2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE
4	4	2023 ASSEMBLY BILL 995
5	5	January 25, 2024 - Introduced by Representatives SHANKLAND, BILLINGS,
6	6	CONSIDINE, EMERSON, J. ANDERSON, BALDEH, CLANCY, CONLEY, JACOBSON, JOERS,
7	7	MADISON, NEUBAUER, OHNSTAD, PALMERI, RATCLIFF, SHELTON, SINICKI, STUBBS
8	8	and SUBECK, cosponsored by Senators SMITH, LARSON, SPREITZER, ROYS and
9	9	AGARD. Referred to Committee on Colleges and Universities.
10	10	*AUTHORS SUBJECT TO CHANGE*
11	11	AN ACT to amend 15.01 (2); and to create 15.06 (1) (f), 15.06 (3) (a) 7., 15.915
12	12	(4) and 36.67 of the statutes; relating to: creating a Blue Ribbon Commission
13	13	on Public Higher Education in the University of Wisconsin System.
14	14	Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
15	15	This bill creates a 19-member Blue Ribbon Commission on Public Higher
16	16	Education in the University of Wisconsin System. Members of the commission
17	17	include the presidents of the UW System and the Technical College System; faculty,
18	18	staff, and students of the UW System and technical colleges; a higher education
19	19	expert and a workforce development expert; two legislators; and the governor. The
20	20	commission must study, and facilitate discussion of, a public agenda for higher
21	21	education; a set of long-term goals and priorities for higher education; and
22	22	accessibility and affordability of higher education. In addition, the commission must
23	23	study and develop recommendations with all of the following objectives: 1) to define
24	24	the goals of higher education for this state; 2) to identify strengths to continue and
25	25	expand, and weaknesses that need to be improved, in this state's institutions of
26	26	higher education; 3) to identify demographic trends affecting higher education in the
27	27	state; 4) to identify strategies to enhance the state's attainment rate; 5) to encourage
28	28	and develop innovations among institutions of higher education; 6) to encourage and
29	29	develop partnerships between the UW System and the Technical College System; 7)
30	30	to explore strategies to strengthen access and equity in higher education for students
31	31	and potential students; 8) to explore strategies to reduce barriers to enrollment and
32	32	degree completion; 9) to explore sustainable funding sources in state support and
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36	36	ARG:amn
37	37	ASSEMBLY BILL 995
38	38	examine state funding challenges; and 10) to identify new ways to administer
39	39	financial aid. The commission must submit a report to the legislature that includes
40	40	all of this information by December 31, 2025. Upon submission of the report, the
41	41	commission terminates, unless the governor renews the commission for an
42	42	additional two-year period. The governor may continue to renew the commission for
43	43	successive two-year periods.
44	44	For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as
45	45	an appendix to this bill.
46	46	The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
47	47	enact as follows:
48	48	SECTION 1. 15.01 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
49	49	15.01 (2) “Commission" means a 3-member governing body in charge of a
50	50	department or independent agency or of a division or other subunit within a
51	51	department, except for the employment relations commission which shall consist of
52	52	one chairperson, the Wisconsin waterways commission which shall consist of 5
53	53	members, the blue ribbon commission on public higher education which shall consist
54	54	of 19 members, the elections commission which shall consist of at least 6 members,
55	55	the ethics commission which shall consist of at least 6 members, and the parole
56	56	commission which shall consist of 4 members. A Wisconsin group created for
57	57	participation in a continuing interstate body, or the interstate body itself, shall be
58	58	known as a “commission", but is not a commission for purposes of s. 15.06. The parole
59	59	commission created under s. 15.145 (1) shall be known as a “commission", but is not
60	60	a commission for purposes of s. 15.06.
61	61	SECTION 2. 15.06 (1) (f) of the statutes is created to read:
62	62	15.06 (1) (f) Members of the blue ribbon commission on public higher education
63	63	shall be appointed and serve terms as provided under s. 15.915 (4).
64	64	SECTION 3. 15.06 (3) (a) 7. of the statutes is created to read:
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83	83	ARG:amn
84	84	SECTION 3
85	85	ASSEMBLY BILL 995
86	86	15.06 (3) (a) 7. The members of the blue ribbon commission on public higher
87	87	education.
88	88	SECTION 4. 15.915 (4) of the statutes is created to read:
89	89	15.915 (4) BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION ON PUBLIC HIGHER EDUCATION. (a) Subject
90	90	to par. (e), there is created in the University of Wisconsin System a blue ribbon
91	91	commission on public higher education.
92	92	(b) The blue ribbon commission on public higher education shall consist of the
93	93	following members:
94	94	1. The president of the University of Wisconsin System or his or her designee.
95	95	2. The president of the technical college system appointed under s. 38.04 (2) or
96	96	his or her designee.
97	97	3. Two members who are faculty of the University of Wisconsin System,
98	98	appointed jointly by the senate and assembly standing committees with jurisdiction
99	99	over matters relating to universities and colleges at a joint meeting of these
100	100	committees after the committees have received recommendations for the
101	101	appointments.
102	102	4. Two members who are faculty of a technical college under ch. 38, appointed
103	103	jointly by the senate and assembly standing committees with jurisdiction over
104	104	matters relating to universities and colleges at a joint meeting of these committees
105	105	after the committees have received recommendations for the appointments.
106	106	5. Two members who are academic staff of the University of Wisconsin System,
107	107	appointed jointly by the senate and assembly standing committees with jurisdiction
108	108	over matters relating to universities and colleges at a joint meeting of these
109	109	committees after the committees have received recommendations for the
110	110	appointments.
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136	136	ARG:amn
137	137	SECTION 4 ASSEMBLY BILL 995
138	138	6. Two members who are staff of a technical college under ch. 38, appointed
139	139	jointly by the senate and assembly standing committees with jurisdiction over
140	140	matters relating to universities and colleges at a joint meeting of these committees
141	141	after the committees have received recommendations for the appointments.
142	142	7. Two members who are students enrolled in the University of Wisconsin
143	143	System, appointed jointly by the senate and assembly standing committees with
144	144	jurisdiction over matters relating to universities and colleges at a joint meeting of
145	145	these committees after the committees have received recommendations for the
146	146	appointments.
147	147	8. Two members who are students enrolled in a technical college under ch. 38,
148	148	appointed jointly by the senate and assembly standing committees with jurisdiction
149	149	over matters relating to universities and colleges at a joint meeting of these
150	150	committees after the committees have received recommendations for the
151	151	appointments.
152	152	9. One member who is a higher education expert, appointed by the Board of
153	153	Regents of the University of Wisconsin System.
154	154	10. One member who is a workforce development expert, appointed by the
155	155	governor.
156	156	11. Two members who are legislators, one from the majority party of one house
157	157	and the other from the minority party of the other house, appointed jointly by the
158	158	senate and assembly standing committees with jurisdiction over matters relating to
159	159	universities and colleges at a joint meeting of these committees after the committees
160	160	have received recommendations for the appointments.
161	161	12. The governor, or his or her designee.
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188	188	SECTION 4
189	189	ASSEMBLY BILL 995
190	190	(c) Members of the commission shall serve for a term expiring on December 31,
191	191	2025, or when the report under s. 36.67 (4) is submitted, whichever occurs first,
192	192	except that if the commission is renewed under par. (e), each term shall continue
193	193	during any period of renewal.
194	194	(d) No member of the commission may receive any salary for services performed
195	195	as a commission member. Each commission member shall be reimbursed for actual
196	196	and necessary expenses incurred while performing official duties.
197	197	(e) The commission shall terminate upon the commission's submission of the
198	198	report under s. 36.67 (4), unless the governor renews the commission for an
199	199	additional period of 2 years. The governor may thereafter continue to renew the
200	200	commission for additional 2-year periods or allow the commission to terminate upon
201	201	the expiration of any renewal period.
202	202	SECTION 5. 36.67 of the statutes is created to read:
203	203	36.67 Blue ribbon commission on public higher education. (1) In this
204	204	section, “commission" means the blue ribbon commission on public higher education
205	205	created under s. 15.915 (4).
206	206	(2) The commission shall study, and facilitate discussion of, all of the following:
207	207	(a) A public agenda for higher education.
208	208	(b) A set of long-term goals and priorities for higher education.
209	209	(c) Accessibility and affordability of higher education.
210	210	(3) The commission shall study and develop recommendations with all of the
211	211	following objectives:
212	212	(a) To define the goals of higher education for this state.
213	213	(b) To identify strengths to continue and expand, and weaknesses that need to
214	214	be improved, in this state's institutions of higher education.
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240	240	ARG:amn
241	241	SECTION 5 ASSEMBLY BILL 995
242	242	(c) To identify demographic trends, including enrollment, that will affect higher
243	243	education in the state.
244	244	(d) To identify strategies to enhance the state's attainment rate.
245	245	(e) To encourage and develop innovations among institutions of higher
246	246	education.
247	247	(f) To encourage and develop partnerships between the system and the
248	248	technical college system.
249	249	(g) To explore strategies to strengthen access and equity in higher education
250	250	for students and potential students.
251	251	(h) To explore strategies to reduce barriers to enrollment and degree
252	252	completion.
253	253	(i) To explore sustainable funding sources in state support and examine state
254	254	funding challenges.
255	255	(j) To identify new ways to administer financial aid.
256	256	(4) Not later than December 31, 2025, the commission shall submit a report to
257	257	the chief clerk of each house of the legislature for distribution to the legislature under
258	258	s. 13.172 (2) that includes the information described in sub. (3).
259	259	(END)
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