The Conference Committee version of the Wisconsin state budget passed through the Assembly on Friday evening with a vote of 51-46. This version of the budget, along with a comparison with the original Senate and Assembly versions, can be viewed here. This joint version allocates $1,500,000 in 2010-2011 for 4-year-old Kindergarten start-up grants (in addition to the $3,000,000 that is allocated in 2009-2010). It also limits the total number of hours a child can receive child care under Wisconsin Shares to 12 hours per day. Some exceptions can be made- with proper documentation- to extend this limit up to 16 hours per day.

Governor Doyle received the current version of the budget and signed it into law today at 11:00am. He also issued a public statement discussing his veto choices that have been added to the budget. You can read that document here. Included in his vetoes are changes to how hours are authorized within the Wisconsin Shares child-care subsidy program and the circumstances under which the Child Care Program Integrity Unit can investigate a child care provider’s use of Shares funding. These changes are discussed in detail on pages 13 and 14 of the Governor’s veto message. To overturn any one of Doyle’s vetoes, the Legislature needs two-thirds of its members to oppose it.