Governor Walker signed the 2015-17 state budget into law
Sunday afternoon.
Before signing the budget into law, Governor Walker spoke to
a crowd full of supporters in Waukesha. Walker emphasized that his budget again
cuts property taxes, expands educational opportunities for Wisconsin families,
adds more money to Medicaid and takes efforts to reduce government dependence.
He also made references to his presidential run, saying that unlike Washington,
he gets things done.
The full list of vetoes can be found
here. Unfortunately, he did
not veto the changes to the Wisconsin Media Lab.
Vetoes of interest include:
Read to Lead Fund
Sections 65b, 568b, 720d,
723d, 1007b, 1031b, 1678m, 1678r, 1678s and 9406 (1q)
These sections sunset the Read
to Lead segregated fund and related appropriations, effective June 30, 2017. I
am vetoing the sunset of the segregated fund and related appropriations because
it unnecessarily limits the availability of potential resources to improve
childhood reading in future biennia. With this veto, the Department of Children
and Families and Department of Public Instruction would be able to continue to
distribute reading funds, if they become available, beyond the 2015-17
biennium.
Virtual Marketplace for
Digital Educational Resources
Sections 481 [as it relates
to s. 20.255 (1) (dt)], 560m and 3193s
These provisions create a
virtual marketplace for digital educational resources and appropriate funding
for a contract with a vendor or multiple vendors to develop and add educational
content to a digital textbook marketplace and resource center. The marketplace
would allow authorized personnel from public school districts, independent
charter schools, private schools and home based private educational programs to
purchase or license digital educational resources, including the following: (a)
electronic textbooks; (b) individual sections or chapters from electronic
textbooks; (c) supplemental resources, including worksheets, chapter reviews,
quizzes or study sheets; and (d) other digital offerings, including videos,
available from content providers or publishers. The Department of Public
Instruction is required to host the marketplace, and content must be accessible
to a range of computing and mobile devices and operating systems. Districts may
license the content at a tiered rate for one year, three years or six years, or
purchase content under a permanent license.
I am vetoing sections 560m and
3193s and partially vetoing section 481 [as it relates to s. 20.255 (1) (dt)]
because I object to duplicative avenues for the provision of electronic
educational materials. The digital learning portal being developed and hosted
by the department provides access to digital content. In addition, the bill
creates and provides funding for a new digital learning collaborative for the
delivery of digital content. I believe the provisions under current law and the
new digital learning collaborative can be leveraged to adequately address the
need for digital resources for schools and educational programs.
Universal Service Fund
Revenues Report
Section 9136 (2u)
This section requires the
Public Service Commission to report to the Joint Committee on Finance on causes
of unencumbered balances in the universal service fund and changes that could
be adopted to reduce future universal service fund balances. The report would
be submitted to the Committee for its third quarterly meeting in 2015, and the
commission could not revise provider contribution rates unless the report has
been approved by the Committee.
I am vetoing this section in
its entirety because it is unnecessary. The commission already has the ability
to utilize universal service fund revenues when determining telecommunication
provider rates for the coming year, as demonstrated in 2012. In addition, this
section hinders the commission's statutorily-required duty to establish
contribution rates by delaying the revision of rates until after the report is
approved the Committee.
State Broadband Office
Funding
Section 9136 (2q)
This section limits expenditure
authority provided to the Public Service Commission for operations of the State
Broadband Office to the 2015-17 biennium only. Funding would not be included in
the base year for purposes of developing the 2017-19 biennial budget.
I am vetoing this section
because I object to providing this funding on a one-time basis. The work of the
State Broadband Office is ongoing; therefore, its funding should be as well.
The office continues to perform duties vital to broadband expansion in this
state, including maintenance of the state's broadband map, coordination with
telecommunications providers, and outreach to communities and other
stakeholders. With this veto, the office can continue to perform these
important duties.
