__________________
Read first time and referred:
Senate Bill 390
Relating to: commencement of the fall semester at public schools.
By
Senators
Breske, Shibilski, Rude, Welch, George, Wineke, Zien, Schultz, Fitzgerald, A. Lasee and Drzewiecki; cosponsored by Representatives Handrick, Seratti, Ourada, Vrakas, Green, Kelso, Williams, Hutchison, Linton, Lorge, Meyer, Porter, Gard, Gunderson, Schafer and Ryba.
To committee on Insurance, Tourism and Rural Affairs.
Senate Bill 391
Relating to: persons who fail to attend when summoned as a juror and providing a penalty.
By
Senators
Moen and Weeden; cosponsored by Representatives Kreibich, Powers, Duff, Musser, Goetsch, Ainsworth, Brandemuehl, Huber and Olsen.
To committee on Judiciary, Campaign Finance Reform and Consumer Affairs.
Senate Bill 392
Relating to: exemption from discipline for dentists who send impressions, measurements or patients to dental laboratories for shade verification.
By
Senators
Moen, Rosenzweig and Breske; cosponsored by Representatives Underheim, Kaufert, Wasserman, Musser, J. Lehman, Albers, Hanson, Goetsch, Staskunas, Johnsrud, Robson, Lorge, Plouff and Urban.
To committee on Health, Human Services, Aging, Corrections, Veterans and Military Affairs.
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State of Wisconsin
January 5, 1998
The Honorable, The Senate:
I am hereby resigning my position on the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Campaign Finance Reform and Consumer Affairs, effective immediately.
Sincerely,
Senator Fred Risser
Senate President
State of Wisconsin
January 5, 1998
The Honorable, The Senate:
I hereby resign my position on the joint committee for Review of Administrative Rules, effective immediately
Sincerely,
Robert Wirch
Senator
State of Wisconsin
January 5, 1997
The Honorable, The Senate:
Pursuant to Senate Rule
20, I have made the following appointments to Senate Committees:
To the joint committee on Finance: Senators Schultz and Rosenzweig, to replace Senators George and Wineke;
To the committee on Judiciary, Campaign Finance Reform and Consumer Affairs: Senator Wirch, as Chair;
To the committee for review of Administrative Rules: Senator George.
With regards to the members of the Republican Party, the appointments reflect the recommendations of that caucus.
Sincerely,
Chuck Chvala
Chair, Committee on Senate Organization
State of Wisconsin
January 7, 1998
The Honorable, The Senate:
To comply with Senate Rule
20 (c), the following are removed from Senate Committees:
Committee on Health, Human Services, Aging, Corrections, Veterans and Military Affairs: Senator Wirch;
Committee on Agriculture and Environmental Resources: Senator Shibilski;
Committee on Economic Development, Housing and Government Operations: Senator Grobschmidt;
Committee on Insurance, Tourism and Rural Affairs: Senator Shibilski;
Committee on Utility Regulation; Senator Decker;
Committee on Labor, Transportation and Financial Institutions: Senator Potter.
Pursuant to Senate Rule
20, I have made the following appointment:
To the committee on Education: Senator Fitzgerald.
With regard to the members of the Republican Party, the appointment reflects the recommendation of that caucus.
Sincerely,
Chuck Chvala
Chair, Committee on Senate Organization
Department of Employment Relations
December 23, 1997
The Honorable, The Legislature:
The Department of Employment Relations, Division of Affirmative Action is very pleased to present the 19th edition of the Affirmative Action report for Wisconsin State Government for your information.
The report represents the fiscal year July, 1996 through June, 1997. It includes a summary of the Division's EEO/AA programs and services, key findings and numerous statistical reports which illustrate the status of affirmative action group members (women, racial/ethnic minorities and persons with disabilities) in the classified state service.
We look forward to continuing cooperative efforts in achieving equal employment opportunity in Wisconsin's civil service.
Sincerely,
Jon E. Litscher
Secretary
State of Wisconsin
Southeast Wisconsin Professional Baseball Park District
December 30, 1997
The Honorable, The Legislature:
Enclosed is your copy of the November 1997 Miller Park Monthly Progress Report. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments.
Thanks for your consideration and input on the Miller Park project.
Sincerely,
Michael R. Duckett
State of Wisconsin
State of Wisconsin Investment Board
December 30, 1997
The Honorable, The Senate/Legislature:
Attached is the Investment Board's annual report to the Legislature on investment goals and long-term strategies, as provided under section 25.17(14g) of the Statutes. Objectives for each of the major funds managed by SWIB are described and significant changes since our last report are noted.
The Board currently manages over $48.2 billion for the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS), the tenth largest US public pension fund and the 21st largest public or private pension fund in the world. The Board also manages over $4.8 billion in cash balances of state agencies and local governments in the State Investment Fund (SIF). Cash balances of the WRS are also managed in SIF.
Our investment objectives remain fundamentally the same from year-to-year. A long-term focus guides the investment strategy for the Retirement System trust funds, in keeping with their long-term obligations. The SIF emphasizes safety of principal and liquidity, commensurate with a reasonable rate of return.
Key points of note in this report:
Wisconsin Retirement System Trust Funds
•
The basic investment objective for the Fixed (or balanced) Retirement Fund is to achieve an average 8% annual return over the long-term. This month, the Employe Trust Funds Board approved the actuary's recommendation to increase the expected spread between salary inflation and investment return from 2.7% to 3.2%. This will result in a relative increase in the portion of liabilities funded from investment returns. In June 1998, the ETF Board may consider reductions in contribution rates based on investment returns for 1997.
•
The assets of the Fixed Fund are diversified among various markets in order to produce needed rates of return over the long-term and to manage risk. The overall asset mix for the Fixed Fund is similar to what is typical for other large public pension funds.
•
Due to the run-up in the domestic stock market, we moved some funds from stocks to bonds in 1997 in order to achieve the strategic targets for these assets. Together, domestic and international stocks continue to represent about 55% of Fund assets.
•
We have shifted a portion of our large-company domestic stock portfolio from active management to an S&P 500 index fund. This enables us to direct more of our analytical resources to the small and mid-size companies where there are greater opportunities to add value with active management. The use of index funds also facilitates rebalancing among asset classes.
