5454.
Joint Committee on Finance Approval of Tax Reciprocity Agreements 5555.
Sales Tax Exemption for Amusement Device Proceeds 5656.
Cigarette Tax Manufacturer’s Discount 5757.
Additional Auditor Reporting Comparison Requirements 5858.
Sales Tax Exemption for Construction Materials 5959.
Implementation of Room Tax Modifications 6060.
Layoff Procedures for Certain Employees 6161.
Unfunded Pension Liability Payment 6262.
County and Municipal Levy Limit Adjustment for Transferred Services 6363.
Alcoholic Beverage License Modification 6464.
Lafayette County Sheriff’s Department DD.
INVESTING IN INFRASTRUCTURE 6565.
State Broadband Office Funding 6666.
Environmental Impact Statement – East Arterial Highway 6767.
State Highway Program Audit 6868.
Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities on State Highway Projects 6969.
Rail Fixed Guideway Transportation Systems 7070.
Freight Optimization Modeling Consultant Contract 7171.
Amortization Schedule for Commercial Paper 7272.
General Transportation Aids Appeals Process EE.
REFORMING HEALTH CATE ENTITLEMENTS 7373.
Family Care and IRIS Programs 7474.
Labor Region Methodology Study 7575.
Dispute Resolution Process Relating to Health Insurance Coverage of Chiropractic Treatment 7676.
FoodShare Employment and Training Drug Testing 7777.
Grants to an Organization that Provides Advanced Life Support Training 7878.
Repeal Health Care Provider Fees for Date Collection and Dissemination 7979.
County-to-County Nursing Home Bed Transfers 8080.
Exempt Institutions for Mental Disease and County-Operated Nursing Homes from Bed Assessment 8181.
Nonemergency Medical Transportation 8282.
Healthy Aging Grants 8383.
Enhanced Dental Services Reimbursement Pilot 8484.
BadgerCare Plus Coverage for Childless Adults 8585.
Consolidate Community Mental Health Programs 8686.
Children’s Community Options Program Technical Modification 8787.
Division of Medicaid Services FF.
PROTECTING WISCONSIN CITIZENS AND OUR MOST VULNERABLE 8888.
Pedestrians Crossing Railroads 8989.
Expanded Payday Lender Authority 9090.
Nonprofit Voluntary Host Families Report 9191.
Increase Part-time District Attorneys to Full-time 9292.
Reference to the Department of Children and Families GG.
SUPPORTING OUR VETERANS 9393.
Commercial Driver License Fee Waiver HH.
PRESERVING WISCONSIN’S HERITAGE 9494.
PECFA Program Sunset 9595.
Frank Lloyd Wright Heritage Trail 9696.
100th Anniversary of the State Capitol 9797.
Proceeds from Sale of Stewardship Lands 9898.
Northern State Forests Master Plans 9999.
Audit of Forestry Account 100100.
Car-Killed Deer Report 101101.
Snowmobile Supplemental Trail Aids Requests to Joint Committee on Finance 102102.
Grants to Nonprofit Conservation Organizations 103103.
Areawide Water Quality Management Plan 104104.
Well Compensation Grant Appropriation _____________
1. Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation Funding to the Joint Committee on Finance Supplemental Appropriation
This provision provides a total of $23,503,200 GPR in fiscal year 2015-16 and $34,711,000 GPR in fiscal year 2016-17 to the Joint Committee on Finance's general purpose revenue funds general program supplementation appropriation under s. 20.865 (4) (a). Of this amount, $16,300,000 GPR in fiscal year 2015-16 and $12,400,000 GPR in fiscal year 2016-17 were placed in the appropriation due to actions by the Joint Committee on Finance to reduce the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation's operations and programs appropriation and place these funds in the Committee's supplemental appropriation. I object to the placement of these funds in the Committee's supplemental appropriation because this mechanism to hold these funds does not provide the greatest flexibility for the state's financial position or its policy options.
I am partially vetoing section 481 [as it relates to s. 20.865 (4) (a)] to reduce funding for the Committee's supplemental appropriation by $16,300,000 GPR in fiscal year 2015-16 and $12,400,000 GPR in fiscal year 2016-17 to remove those amounts placed in the appropriation by the Committee related to reductions for the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation and not otherwise allocated for another purpose so that these monies will improve the general fund balance during the biennium. Doing so strengthens the state's fiscal position and still allows these funds to be allocated by the Legislature for future purposes. By lining out the appropriation under s. 20.865 (4) (a) and writing in a smaller amount that deletes these funds, I am vetoing the portion of the bill that holds these funds in the Committee's supplemental appropriation. I am also requesting the secretary of the Department of Administration not to allot these funds. 2. Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation Grants to Various Organizations
Section 9150 (5dc)
This section requires the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation to make four grants to specified organizations for a total of $750,000 GPR. The Mid-West Energy Research Consortium is to be granted $250,000 GPR to support Wisconsin- headquartered private companies in the energy, power and control industries. Prosperity Southwest Wisconsin is to be granted $250,000 GPR to develop a regional revolving loan fund program in the southwest region for regional development and entrepreneurial start-ups. Northcentral Technical College is to be granted $150,000 GPR for equipment for its culinary arts program and business incubator facilities. Finally, the Marathon County Economic Development Corporation is to be granted $100,000 GPR for a revolving loan fund to support minority-owned businesses in Marathon County.
I am vetoing this section because I object to reducing the flexibility of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation to make its own determinations as to which organizations should be given assistance. One of the purposes of the corporation was to have maximum flexibility in funding the most promising economic development opportunities. The funds that would have been used for these specified grants will instead remain with the corporation to be awarded for eligible purposes at its discretion. However, I encourage the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation to collaborate with the Marathon County Economic Development Corporation and Prosperity Southwest Wisconsin to enhance economic opportunities in these regions.
3. Definition of Bona Fide Angel Investments
Sections 2191 and 9337 (4b)
These sections modify the definition of a "bona fide angel investment" under the angel investment credit program to include the purchase of a note or bond that is convertible into an equity interest beginning with tax year 2016.
I am vetoing these sections because I object to changing the purpose of the angel investment credit to potentially create an incentive for the purchases of secured debt instruments in companies in lieu of equity investments. Under current law, investors in such securities receive the credit when they convert their securities into an equity stake. This treatment is appropriate and should be maintained.
4. Conduit Revenue Bonds
Sections 1067b, 1969ab, 1969am, 1969b, 1969c, 1969e, 1969f, 1969g, 1969h, 1969i, 1961im, 1969j, 1969k, 1969L, 1969m, 1969n, 1969p, 1969pe, 1969q, 1969r, 1969s, 1969t, 1969u, 1969v, 2033b, 2037d, 2237d, 2238b, 2515j and 2524p
This provision modifies current law as it relates to the Public Finance Authority and its ability to issue bonds in an assortment of ways. These changes include broadening the authority's ability to own or operate property; allowing the authority to purchase bonds; and empowering the authority to create one or more nonprofit corporations to carry out, or assist the authority to carry out, all or part of the purposes or powers of the authority. In addition, the provision exempts the authority and related nonprofit corporations from having to pay certain property and sales taxes and extends existing personal liability law exemptions to officers, employees and agents of the authority and related nonprofit corporations.
I am vetoing this provision because I object to broadening the powers of the authority and do not support the decreases in accountability that would result from enacting this provision or the loss of local control and loss of state tax revenue. Such sweeping changes to current law decrease transparency and could create unintended consequences, the full extent of which are unknown.
B. TRANSFORMING EDUCATION
5. Statewide Assessment System
Sections 3248b [as it relates to renumbering s. 118.30 (1) (a)] and 3248c These sections require the State Superintendent to review and adopt a summative examination system to be administered beginning in the 2015-16 school year to pupils in grades 3 through 10 in the subjects of English, reading, writing, science and mathematics. The State Superintendent must ensure that each examination adopted or approved under the system satisfies the assessment and accountability requirements under federal law. Additionally, the State Superintendent must ensure that the summative examination system adopted or approved meets the following criteria: (a) the system is vertically scaled and standards-based; (b) the system documents pupil progress toward national college and career readiness benchmarks derived from empirical research and state academic standards; (c) the system measures individual pupil performance in the subject areas of English, reading, writing, science and mathematics; (d) the system provides for the administration of examinations primarily in a computer-based format but permits examinations to be administered with pencil and paper in certain limited circumstances; and (e) pupil performance on examinations adopted or approved under the system serves as a predictive measure of pupil performance on college readiness assessments used by institutions of higher education.
I am partially vetoing section 3248b as it relates to renumbering s. 118.30 (1) (a) and vetoing section 3248c in its entirety. This provision is unnecessary and would have codified assessment criteria in state law that are closely aligned with national standards I oppose and which local school districts should not be mandated to adopt. Ultimately, local school boards across Wisconsin should be able to determine what test they administer and what standards they adopt. 6. Participation in Athletics and Extracurricular Activities
Section 3245t [as it relates to school district membership in an athletic association]
