AB946,1,3 1An Act to create 36.46 and 36.47 of the statutes; relating to: research at
2University of Wisconsin System institutions, disclosure requirements relating
3to contracts with and gifts from foreign sources, and providing a penalty.

This bill creates institutional and individual disclosure requirements
applicable to institutions of the University of Wisconsin System and to UW System
employees and others relating to research and to contracts with and gifts from
foreign governments, companies, and individuals. The bill also requires each UW
institution that conducts research to have a research best practices policy.

Current law requires the Board of Regents of the UW System to report to the
legislature annually on the number and outcome of certain classified research
contracts and biennially on the purpose, duration, cost, and anticipated completion
date of research projects funded with general purpose revenue. In addition, the
chancellor of UW-Madison on behalf of UW-Madison, and the Board of Regents on
behalf of the other UW institutions, must annually submit to the legislature an
accountability report that identifies, among other economic-development-related
data, the amount and source of research funds, the number of government contracts
received, and the number of research projects in progress or completed.

Current law also prohibits any UW System employee from acting as an agent
for another if it would create a conflict of interest with the terms of the employee's
service in the UW System and also requires the Board of Regents to promulgate rules
relating to conflicts of interest. These rules prohibit specified persons, including

faculty and academic staff, from engaging in outside activities if doing so conflicts
with his or her public responsibilities to the UW institution or to the UW System.
In addition, the rules require such a person to annually report to his or her institution
the following: 1) associations with organizations related to his or her fields of
academic interest or specialization; 2) private remunerative relationships with
nongovernmental sponsors of university research for which the person is a principal
investigator; and 3) remunerative outside activities in his or her field of academic
interest or specialization. The rules also require each UW institution to develop
policies and procedures relating to outside activities, including those relating to use
of university facilities, absences from regular duties, and conflicts of interest.