Assembly Joint Res. 2511Not published
Assembly Joint Res. 2712Not published
Assembly Joint Res. 2913Not published
Assembly Joint Res. 3014Not published
Assembly Joint Res. 4315Not published
Sincerely,
Douglas La Follette
Secretary of State
Referral of Agency Reports
DATE: April 11, 2001
TO: John A. Scocos
Assembly Chief Clerk
FROM: Katharine C. Lyall, President
University of Wisconsin System
RE: Report pursuant to s.
36.11(22)(b),
Wis. Stats.
At its meeting April 6, 2001, the Board of Regents accepted the attached report for submission to the chief clerk of each house of the legislature for distribution to the appropriate standing committee under s.
13.172 (3).
Section
36.11 (22) (b),
Wis. Stats., requires the Board of Regents to submit a report to the chief clerk of each house of the Legislature annually on the methods each UW System institution used to disseminate information to students on sexual assault and sexual harassment.
The law requires UW System institutions to incorporate into their orientation programs for newly entering students oral and written information on sexual assault and sexual harassment, including information on: 1) sexual assault by acquaintances of the victims; 2) the legal definitions and penalties for sexual assault; 3) generally available national, state, and campus statistics on sexual assault; 4) the rights of victims; and 5) protective behaviors including methods of recognizing and avoiding sexual assault and sexual harassment. In addition, each institution must annually supply to all students enrolled in the institution printed material that includes information on all of these topics.
This law was enacted in April 1990 and this is the eleventh report to be compiled for the Legislature since its enactment.
If you need additional information regarding this report, please contact Betsy West at 608-265-3188.
Referred to committee on Colleges and Universities.
__________________
Agency Reports
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
Madison
April 10, 2001
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
We have completed our evaluation of the Wisconsin Works program (W-2), as required by s.
49.141(2g)(a), Wis. Stats. This is the sixth and final report issued under that requirement.
W-2 is a time-limited employment assistance program administered by the Department of Workforce Development. It replaced cash entitlements provided to low-income families under Aid to Families with Dependent Children in September 1997. Through September 2000, W-2 program costs totaled $710.4 million, of which 93.6 percent was spent by local public and private contractors for program services, benefits, and administration.
Implementation of W-2 has resulted in large declines in the number of individuals receiving cash assistance. From January 1998 through September 2000, cash assistance caseloads declined more than 50 percent, from 14,204 to 6,771 cases. However, the program's success in achieving economic self-sufficiency for participants has been mixed. Among 2,129 participants who left W-2 during the first three months of 1998, 1,377 filed 1999 Wisconsin tax returns. Of those who filed, 643, or 46.7 percent, had incomes above the federal poverty level when earned income tax credits were included. In addition, we found that 26.1 percent of those who left the program from January through March of 1998 had returned for cash assistance or other services by July 2000.
Before the start of a new contract period, which is scheduled to begin January 2002, the Department and the Legislature will need to consider challenges posed by returning participants and those with multiple or severe barriers to employment; how to best address the needs of those who are nearing time limits on program participation; and how to assist individuals who have entered the workforce in maintaining their employment, advancing, and raising themselves and their families out of poverty.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by the Department of Workforce Development and staff of the many W-2 agencies we contacted during the course of our review. The Department's response is Appendix 15.
Respectfully submitted,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
