Wisconsin Legislature: 20,736x

20,732m Section 732m. 36.11 (54) of the statutes is created to read:

36.11 (54) Employee reports. (a) In this subsection, "backup position" means a position that the board is contractually required to provide for an employee who resigns or is terminated from his or her current position.

(b) Annually, the board shall submit a report to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature under s. 13.172 (3) and to the governor that identifies the number of employees with limited appointments under s. 36.17 and rules promulgated thereunder, the number of employees with concurrent appointments, and the number of employees with employment contracts that require backup positions but who have not yet resigned or been terminated from their current positions.

20,732p Section 732p. 36.11 (55) of the statutes is created to read:

36.11 (55) Information on instructors. The board shall ensure that each institution provides information to a student when he or she registers for a class about who will be teaching the class on a daily basis and whether the teacher has an academic staff appointment or tenure or probationary faculty appointment or is a teaching assistant.

20,732t Section 732t. 36.25 (13s) of the statutes is created to read:

36.25 (13s) Medical practice in underserved areas. Of the moneys appropriated to the board under s. 20.285 (1) (fc) of the statutes, the board shall, beginning in fiscal year 2008-09, allocate $400,000 in each fiscal year for the department of family medicine and practice in the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health to support the Wisconsin Academy for Rural Medicine, the Academy for Center-city Medical Education, and the Wisconsin Scholars Academy programs. The board may not expend any moneys allocated under this subsection in a fiscal year unless the board receives $400,000 in gifts and grants from private sources in that fiscal year for supporting such programs.

20,732x Section 732x. 36.25 (47) of the statutes is created to read:

36.25 (47) Discovery farm grants. (a) In this subsection, "discovery farm" means an operating commercial farm that conducts on-farm research under the Wisconsin agricultural stewardship initiative.

(b) From the appropriation under s. 20.285 (1) (qr), the board shall make grants through the extension to operators of discovery farms for research and outreach activities under the Wisconsin agricultural stewardship initiative.

20,733mr Section 733mr. 36.27 (3n) (b) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

36.27 (3n) (b) 2. An Except as provided in subd. 2m., an unremarried surviving spouse of an eligible veteran. The remission under this subdivision applies only during the first 10 years after the veteran died.

20,733mw Section 733mw. 36.27 (3n) (b) 2m. of the statutes is created to read:

36.27 (3n) (b) 2m. An unremarried surviving spouse of an eligible veteran who had a child with the eligible veteran. The remission under this subdivision applies only until 10 years after the youngest child that the spouse had with the eligible veteran reaches or would have reached 18 years of age, or during the first 10 years after the veteran died, whichever is longer.

20,734 Section 734. 36.27 (3n) (b) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:

36.27 (3n) (b) 3. A child of an eligible veteran, if the child is at least 18 17 but not yet 26 years of age and is a full-time student at an institution.

20,735 Section 735. 36.27 (3n) (c) of the statutes is created to read:

36.27 (3n) (c) The higher educational aids board shall reimburse the board of regents for all academic fees and segregated fees remitted under par. (b) as provided in s. 39.50 (1) and (3m).

20,736 Section 736. 36.27 (3p) (c) of the statutes is created to read:

36.27 (3p) (c) The higher educational aids board shall reimburse the board of regents for all nonresident tuition, academic fees, and segregated fees remitted under par. (b) as provided in s. 39.50 (1) and (3m).

20,736e Section 736e. 36.27 (5) (b) of the statutes is renumbered 36.27 (5) (b) 1.

20,736m Section 736m. 36.27 (5) (c) of the statutes is renumbered 36.27 (5) (b) 2. and amended to read:

36.27 (5) (b) 2. The board shall calculate the average subsidy for the purpose of the fee statement under par. (b) subd. 1. by dividing state funds in the appropriate fiscal year by the number of full-time equivalent students enrolled in the system in the most recent fall semester.

20,736s Section 736s. 36.27 (5) (d) of the statutes is created to read:

36.27 (5) (d) 1. The board shall ensure that the segregated fees applicable at each institution and college campus are posted on the Internet Web site of the institution or college campus. The board shall also ensure that detailed information on the organizations and activities for which allocable segregated fees are expended at each institution and college campus are posted on the Internet Web site of the institution or college campus.

2. The board shall ensure that each student's bill for academic fees or nonresident tuition for a semester or session includes each of the following:

a. The total amount of academic fees or nonresident tuition assessed on the student, which shall be listed separately from the amount specified in .subd. 2. b.

b. The total amount of segregated fees assessed on the student, which shall be listed separately from the amount specified in subd. 2. a.

c. The Internet Web site address specified in subd. 1. for the institution or college campus at which the student is enrolled.

20,736x Section 736x. 36.59 of the statutes is created to read:

36.59 Information technology. (1) Strategic plan. (a) The Board of Regents shall require the system and each institution and college campus to adopt and submit to the board, in a form specified by the board, no later than March 1 of each year, a strategic plan for the utilization of information technology to carry out the functions of the system, institution, or college campus in the succeeding fiscal year for review and approval under par. (b).

(b) 1. As a part of each proposed strategic plan submitted under par. (a), the Board of Regents shall require the system and each institution and college campus to address the business needs of the system, institution, or college campus and to identify all proposed information technology development projects that serve those business needs, the priority for undertaking such projects, and the justification for each project, including the anticipated benefits of the project. Each proposed plan shall identify any changes in the functioning of the system, institution, or college campus under the plan.

2. Each proposed strategic plan shall separately identify the initiatives that the system, institution, or college campus plans to undertake from resources available to the system, institution, or college campus at the time that the plan is submitted and initiatives that the system, institution, or college campus proposes to undertake that would require additional resources.

3. Following receipt of a proposed strategic plan from the system or an institution or college campus, the Board of Regents shall, before June 1, notify the system, institution, or college campus of any concerns that the Board of Regents may have regarding the plan and provide the system, institution, or college campus with its recommendations regarding the proposed plan. The Board of Regents may also submit any concerns or recommendations regarding any proposed plan to the information technology management board for its consideration. The information technology management board shall then consider the proposed plan and provide the Board of Regents with its recommendations regarding the plan. The system, institution, or college campus may submit modifications to its proposed plan in response to any recommendations.

4. Before June 15, the Board of Regents shall consider any recommendations provided by the information technology management board under subd. 3. and shall then approve or disapprove the proposed plan in whole or in part.

5. The system or an institution or college campus may not implement a new or revised information technology development project authorized under a strategic plan until the implementation is approved by the Board of Regents in accordance with procedures prescribed by the board.

6. The Board of Regents shall consult with the joint committee on information policy and technology in providing guidance for planning by the system and institutions and college campuses.

(c) The Board of Regents shall develop and adopt the following written policies for information technology development projects included in the strategic plan required of the system and each institution and college campus under par. (a) and that either exceed $1,000,000 or that are vital to the functions of the system, institution, or college campus:

1. A standardized reporting format.

2. A requirement that both proposed and ongoing information technology development projects be included.

(d) The Board of Regents shall submit for review by the joint legislative audit committee and for approval by the joint committee on information policy and technology any proposed policies required under par. (c) and any proposed revisions to the policies.

(2) Large, high-risk projects. In consultation with the legislative audit bureau and the joint legislative audit committee, the Board of Regents shall promulgate administrative rules applicable to the system and each institution and college campus pertaining to large, high-risk information technology projects that shall include :

(a) A definition of and methodology for identifying large, high-risk information technology projects.

(b) Standardized, quantifiable project performance measures for evaluating large, high-risk information technology projects.

(d) A formal process for modifying information technology project specifications when necessary to address changes in program requirements.

(e) Requirements for reporting changes in estimates of cost or completion date to the board and the joint committee on information policy and technology.

(f) Methods for discontinuing projects or modifying projects that are failing to meet performance measures in such a way to correct the performance problems.

(g) Policies and procedures for the use of master leases under s. 16.76 (4) to finance new large, high-risk information technology system costs and maintain current large, high-risk information technology systems.

(h) A standardized progress point in the execution of large, high-risk information technology projects at which time the estimated costs and date of completion of the project is reported to the board and the joint committee on information policy and technology.

(3) Commercially available products. The Board of Regents shall promulgate administrative rules applicable to the system and each institution and college campus pertaining to the use of commercially available information technology products, which shall include all of the following :

(a) A requirement that the system and each institution and college campus review commercially available information technology products prior to initiating work on a customized information technology development project to determine whether any commercially available product could meet the information technology needs of the system, institution, or college campus.

(b) Procedures and criteria to determine when a commercially available information technology product must be used and when the system or an institution or college campus may consider the modification or creation of a customized information technology product.

(c) A requirement that the system and each institution and college campus submit for approval by the board and prior to initiating work on a customized information technology product a justification for the modification or creation by the system, institution, or college campus of a customized information technology product.

(4) Master leases. (a) In this subsection, "master lease" has the meaning given under s. 16.76 (4).

(b) Annually, no later than October 1, the Board of Regents shall submit to the governor and the members of the joint committee on information policy and technology a report documenting the use by the system and each institution and college campus of master leases to fund information technology projects in the previous fiscal year. The report shall contain all of the following information:

1. The total amount paid under master leases towards information technology projects in the previous fiscal year.

2. The master lease payment amounts approved to be applied to information technology projects in future years.

3. The total amount paid by the system and each institution and college campus on each information technology project for which debt is outstanding, as compared to the total financing amount originally approved for that information technology project.

4. A summary of repayments made towards any master lease in the previous fiscal year.

(5) High-cost projects. (a) Except as provided in par. (b), the Board of Regents shall include in each contract with a vendor of information technology that involves a large, high-risk information technology project under sub. (2) or that has a projected cost greater than $1,000,000, and require the system and each institution and college campus that enters into a contract for materials, supplies, equipment, or contractual services relating to information technology to include in each contract with a vendor of information technology that involves a large, high-risk information technology project under sub. (2) or that has a projected cost greater than $1,000,000 a stipulation requiring the vendor to submit to the board for approval any order or amendment that would change the scope of the contract and have the effect of increasing the contract price. The stipulation shall authorize the board to review the original contract and the order or amendment to determine all of the following and, if necessary, to negotiate with the vendor regarding any change to the original contract price:

1. Whether the work proposed in the order or amendment is within the scope of the original contract.

2. Whether the work proposed in the order or amendment is necessary.

(b) The Board of Regents may exclude from a contract described in par. (a) the stipulation required under par. (a) if all of the following conditions are satisfied:

1. Including such a stipulation would negatively impact contract negotiations or significantly reduce the number of bidders on the contract.

2. If the exclusion is sought by the system or an institution or college campus, the system or that institution or college campus submits to the board a plain-language explanation of the reasons the stipulation was excluded and the alternative provisions the system, institution, or college campus will include in the contract to ensure that the contract will be completed on time and within the contract budget.

3. The board submits for approval by the joint committee on information policy and technology any explanation and alternative contract provisions required under subd. 2. If, within 14 working days after the date that the board submits any explanation and alternative contract provisions required under this subdivision, the joint committee on information policy and technology does not contact the board, the explanation and alternative contract provisions shall be deemed approved.

(6) Open-ended contracts. (a) The Board of Regents shall require the system and each institution and college campus that has entered into an open-ended contract for the development of information technology to submit to the board quarterly reports documenting the amount expended on the information technology development project. In this subsection, "open-ended contract" means a contract for information technology that includes one or both of the following:

1. Stipulations that provide that the contract vendor will deliver information technology products or services but that do not specify a maximum payment amount.

2. Stipulations that provide that the contract vendor shall be paid an hourly wage but that do not set a maximum limit on the number of hours required to complete the information technology project.

(b) Compile and annually submit to the joint committee on information technology the reports required under par. (a).

(7) Reports. No later than March 1 and September 1 of each year, the Board of Regents shall submit to the joint committee on information policy and technology a report that documents for each information technology project within the system with an actual or projected cost greater than $1,000,000 or that the board has identified as a large, high-risk information technology project under sub. (2) (a) all of the following:

(a) Original and updated project cost projections.

(b) Original and updated completion dates for the project and any stage of the project.

(c) An explanation for any variation between the original and updated costs and completion dates under pars. (a) and (b).

(d) A copy of any contract entered into by the board for the project and not provided in a previous report.

(e) All sources of funding for the project.

(f) The amount of any funding provided for the project through a master lease under s. 16.76 (4).

(g) Information about the status of the project, including any portion of the project that has been completed.

(h) Any other information about the project, or related information technology projects, requested by the joint committee on information policy and technology.

20,737 Section 737. 38.04 (21) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

38.04 (21) (intro.) Pupils attending technical colleges; board report. Annually by the 3rd Monday in February the board shall submit a report to the department of administration, department of children and families, department of public instruction, and department of workforce development, and to the legislature under s. 13.172 (2). The report shall specify all of the following by school district:

20,737m Section 737m. 38.17 of the statutes is created to read:

38.17 Levy limit. (1) Definition. In this section, "debt service" includes debt service on debt issued or reissued to fund or refund outstanding municipal obligations, interest on outstanding municipal obligations, and related issuance costs and redemption premiums.

(2) Limit. Except as provided in subs. (3) and (4), no district board may levy in 2007 or 2008 more than it levied in the previous year increased by 4 percent.

(3) Adjustments. (a) 1. If a district board transfers to another governmental unit responsibility for providing any service that it provided in the preceding fiscal year, the limit otherwise applicable under sub. (2) in the current fiscal year is decreased by the cost that it would have incurred to provide that service, as determined by the department of revenue.

2. If a district board increases the services that it provides by adding responsibility for providing a service transferred to it from another governmental unit that provided the service in the previous fiscal year, the limit otherwise applicable under sub. (2) in the current fiscal year is increased by the cost of that service, as determined by the department of revenue.

(b) The limit otherwise applicable under this section does not apply to amounts levied by a district board for the payment of any general obligation debt service, including debt service on debt issued or reissued to fund or refund outstanding municipal obligations, interest on outstanding municipal obligations, or the payment of related issuance costs or redemption premiums.

(4) Referendum. (a) 1. A district board may exceed the levy limit under sub. (2) if it adopts a resolution to that effect and the resolution is approved in a referendum. The resolution shall specify the proposed amount of increase in the levy beyond the amount that is allowed under sub. (2), and shall specify whether the proposed amount of increase is for the next fiscal year only or if it will apply on an ongoing basis.