Capitol Capsules

Weapons veto override fails
The Assembly failed to override Gov. Jim Doyle’s veto of Senate Bill 214, which would have authorized permits to carry concealed weapons. The bill would have exempted higher education buildings but not all university property. The Senate had voted 23-10 to override the governor’s veto, but the Assembly fell one vote short of the two-thirds required for the override, allowing Doyle’s veto to stand.

Other Assembly activity
In other action, the Assembly passed Assembly Bill 683, which would permit the Department of Administration to select more than one vendor for EdVest, and AB 543, which would require the Board of Regents to hear public testimony before setting executive salary ranges. These bills now go to the Senate for consideration.

Pruitt and Richlen confirmed
The Senate last week unanimously approved the appointments of Charles Pruitt of Shorewood and Beth Richlen of Stevens Point to the Board of Regents.

Committee activity
The Senate Higher Education and Tourism Committee last week unanimously passed SB 209, which regulates athlete agents. The Joint Finance Committee is expected to take up a companion bill, AB 403, next week. AB 403 passed the Assembly Colleges and Universities Committee last year. In other committee action last week, the Joint Finance Committee tabled AB 674, which provides for the payment of health insurance premiums for certain Wisconsin Retirement System annuitants who become employed by the state. The Assembly Colleges and Universities Committee was scheduled to meet Feb. 10 (after the Wisconsin Week deadline) to hear testimony on AB 766, which would allow UW police officers to make arrests off campus.

Legislation introduced
Rep. Judy Krawzcyk, R-Green Bay, introduced AB 799, which would grant a nonresident tuition exemption to a dependent of an active member of the armed forces if the member is eligible for Wisconsin veterans’ benefits. The bill was referred to the Feb. 10 Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities.

Rep. Jeff Stone, R-Greenfield, has introduced AB 813, which would prohibit certain university administrators from serving on boards of corporations doing business with the UW System. The bill was referred to the Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities, where it may have a hearing later this month.

The text and history of all introduced legislation is available at http://www.legis.state.wi.us/billtext.html. Information: Kristi Thorson, 263-5510, staterelations@bascom.wisc.edu.