26. Funding for Shared Human Resources System
LEGISLATURE
27. Legislative Hotline
28. Emergency Rule Changes
29. Legislative Council Studies
30. Capstone Certificate Program Reimbursement Funding
MILITARY AFFAIRS
31. National Guard Tuition Grant Program
32. Badger Challenge Program
S292
REGULATION AND LICENSING
33. Regulation of Closing Agents
34. Regulation of Cemeteries
35. Evaluation of Credentialing Fees
36. Inclusion of an Institutional Pharmacist on the Pharmacy Examining Board
VETERANS AFFAIRS
37. Regional Veterans Claims and Benefits Coordinators
38. Veterans Outreach Initiative
39. Veterans Emergency Aid Pilot Program
F. TAX, FINANCE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
ADMINISTRATION
1. Division of Gaming – License Requirements for Simulcast Racing
BUDGET MANAGEMENT
2. Budget Stabilization Fund, Cash Building Projects Fund and "Buy Down" of School Aid Payment Shift
3. Statutory Minimum Balance
EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS COMMISSION
4. Qualified Economic Offer
Department of Financial Institutions
5. Regulation of Rent-to-Own Agreements
GENERAL FUND TAXES
6. Internal Revenue Code Update
7. Sales Tax Exemption for Water Slides
8. Individual Income Tax Exclusion for Military Pensions
9. Estate Tax
10. Artistic Endowment Foundation Tax Credits
11. Baseball Park District Income Tax Checkoff
PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
12. Promulgation of Rules to Facilitate the Production of Distributed Energy
13. Technical Veto – Telecommunications Regulation
14. Voice Mail for the Homeless
15. Wisconsin Advanced Telecommunications Foundation Contributions
DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE
16. Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program
SHARED REVENUE AND TAX RELIEF
17. Municipal Shared Revenue Payments
18. Exclude Lafayette County from Maximum Constraint
19. Special Charges for Municipal Services
20. Automatic Teller Machines
21. Area Cooperation Compacts
22. Annexations Creating Town Islands
23. Classification of Certain Property as Swamp and Waste
State Treasurer
24. Changes in Statutory Appropriations
TOBACCO SECURITIZATION PERMANENT ENDOWMENT FUND
25. Technical Veto to Remove Erroneous Cross-Reference
TRIBAL GAMING ALLOCATIONS
26. Health and Family Services – Minority Health Program
27. Office of Justice Assistance – County-Tribal Law Enforcement Grants
28. Natural Resources – Trout Management
29. Natural Resources – Wild Crane Study
30. Tourism – Kickapoo Valley Reserve, Law Enforcement Services
31. University of Wisconsin-Extension – Grazing Education Grants
32. Workforce Development – Trade Masters Pilot Program
A.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
HIGHER EDUCATIONAL AIDS BOARD
1.
Minority Undergraduate Retention Grant Program
Section 1382r
This section amends 39.44 (1) (b) by expanding the eligibility requirement for the Minority Undergraduate Retention Grants program to include freshmen.
I am vetoing this section because the original intent of this program is to retain students who are making satisfactory progress at postsecondary institutions. Expanding the program to freshmen significantly alters this intent and is likely to reduce grants to those students who are meeting the original intent of the program. Furthermore, freshmen students are eligible to receive grants from the Wisconsin Higher Education Grant and Tuition Grant programs, as well as the federal Pell Grant program.
2.
Study on State Payment of Two Years of Postsecondary Education
Section 9101 (21g)
This section would require the Department of Administration to study the development and implementation of a tuition grant program that would pay the cost of two years of postsecondary education.
I am vetoing this provision because the Legislature does not need to create a statutory mandate to study this issue. The Legislature has the authority to direct the Joint Legislative Council, Legislative Fiscal Bureau or the Legislative Audit Bureau to undertake such a study.
3.
Academic Excellence Scholarships for International Baccalaureate Degree Students
Section 1381m
S293
This provision would permit local school boards and the governing board of each private high school to award an Academic Excellence Scholarship to the senior with the highest grade point average in the International Baccalaureate Degree program.
I am vetoing this provision because it could potentially deny Academic Excellence Scholarships to students who have higher grade point averages in demanding curricula other than the International Baccalaureate Degree program. The intent of the scholarships is to reward students with the highest grade point average in their respective schools. Although I support participation in the International Baccalaureate Degree program and recognize its challenging curriculum, I do not believe it is fair to single out one program in state statute for favored treatment.
MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN
4.
Domestic Abuse Training Requirements
Section 1379t
This provision requires the Medical College of Wisconsin to increase the amount of domestic abuse training it provides to medical students.
I am vetoing this provision because the Medical College of Wisconsin already provides domestic abuse training to medical students. The provision also does not define increased training or demonstrate that current training by the Medical College is inadequate. This provision could have an unintended impact on curriculum development that could raise accreditation concerns.
In addition, the provision was apparently added to the budget bill without the involvement of the Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the Wisconsin Women's Health Foundation or the Department of Health and Family Services. These organizations are currently involved in a two-and-one-half year project to review domestic violence standards and protocols. It is appropriate to wait until the project is completed before considering changes to existing training efforts.
PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
5.
Delay of $115,000,000 of School Aids to July 2003
These sections delay $115,000,000 of school aids that should be paid in fiscal year 2002-03 until fiscal year 2003-04. In addition, $700,000 GPR is appropriated for interest due on the delayed aid payment.
I am vetoing these provisions because the Legislature cannot increase the amount of delayed payments without placing the state's financial future at considerable risk. Previous budgets have delayed over $940,000,000 in payments to local governments to allow for more spending. Further increasing the amount of delayed payments weakens our standing in the eyes of financial markets, increasing the potential for higher interest costs to state and local governments due to downgrading of the creditworthiness of the state's general obligation bonds.
The payment delay reflects an inability to prioritize spending. It conceals an unwillingness to fund two-thirds of local school costs within the state's fiscal year in order to allow more spending in other areas. As difficult as the choices in this budget have been, future budget choices will be much tougher if the delay is accepted.
We should not worsen our financial fundamentals by accepting this payment shift. According to generally accepted accounting principles, Wisconsin already has the worst budget imbalance in the country. The general fund must now regularly borrow hundreds of millions of dollars for operations just to pay bills on time. We have reached the point where further payment shifts place the state's finances at extreme risk.
