__________________
Read and referred:
Senate Resolution 13
Relating to: recognizing the existence of the Hmong culture and its value to all Wisconsinites and the right of the Hmong people to preserve their culture.
By
Senators
George, Kanavas, Roessler, Welch, Zien, Stepp, Carpenter, Brown and Panzer.
To committee on Senate Organization.
Senate Bill 239
Relating to: the removal of nonconforming outdoor advertising signs.
By
Senators
Leibham, Roessler, Breske, Reynolds, M. Meyer, Stepp and Zien; cosponsored by Representatives Seratti, Gielow, Huebsch, Gundrum, McCormick, LeMahieu, Ladwig, Freese, Friske and Krawczyk.
To committee on Transportation and Information Infrastructure.
Senate Bill 240
Relating to: state government holidays.
By
Senators
Harsdorf, Chvala, Decker, Kanavas, Stepp, Lassa, Roessler, Wirch, Darling and Plale; cosponsored by Representatives Suder, Gronemus, Lothian, Turner, Freese, Nischke, Ott, Pope-Roberts, Gunderson, Petrowski, J. Wood, Hines, Taylor, Krawczyk, Van Roy, McCormick, Honadel and Pocan.
To committee on Labor, Small Business Development and Consumer Affairs.
__________________
The committee on Judiciary, Corrections and Privacy reports and recommends:
Assembly Bill 245
Relating to: notaries public who are not attorneys and providing penalties.
Concurrence.
Ayes, 5 - Senators
Zien, S. Fitzgerald, Stepp, George and Carpenter.
Noes, 0 - None.
Assembly Bill 252
Relating to: housing of county prisoners from Michigan in Wisconsin county jails.
Introduction and adoption of Senate Amendment 1.
Ayes, 5 - Senators
Zien, S. Fitzgerald, Stepp, George and Carpenter.
Noes, 0 - None.
Concurrence as amended.
Ayes, 5 - Senators
Zien, S. Fitzgerald, Stepp, George and Carpenter.
Noes, 0 - None.
Assembly Bill 52
Relating to: changing the name of a minor.
Concurrence.
Ayes, 5 - Senators
Zien, S. Fitzgerald, Stepp, George and Carpenter.
Noes, 0 - None.
Assembly Bill 62
Relating to: dispositional orders for truancy or habitual truancy and the disclosure of juvenile records by a juvenile court or a municipal court.
Concurrence.
Ayes, 4 - Senators
Zien, S. Fitzgerald, Stepp and Carpenter.
Noes, 1 - Senator
George.
Senate Bill 195
Relating to: live birth or the circumstance of being born alive.
Passage.
Ayes, 4 - Senators
Zien, S. Fitzgerald, Stepp and Carpenter.
Noes, 1 - Senator
George.
Senate Bill 231
Relating to: changing the interest rate applicable in court actions.
Passage.
Ayes, 3 - Senators
Zien, S. Fitzgerald and Stepp.
Noes, 2 - Senators
George and Carpenter.
Senate Bill 98
Relating to: housing of county prisoners from Michigan in Wisconsin county jails.
Passage.
Ayes, 5 - Senators
Zien, S. Fitzgerald, Stepp, George and Carpenter.
Noes, 0 - None.
David Zien
Chairperson
State of Wisconsin
Groundwater Coordinating Council
August 2003
The Honorable, The Legislature:
The Groundwater Coordinating Council (GCC) is pleased to release its 2003 Report to the Legislature. The GCC was formed in 1984 to help state agencies coordinate non-regulatory activities and exchange information on groundwater. The GCC has served as a model for interagency coordination and cooperation among state government officials, the Governor, local government and the federal government. It is one of the few groups in the nation to effectively coordinate groundwater activities in its state from an advisory position.
This report summarizes GCC and agency activities related to groundwater protection and management in FY 03 (July 1, 2002 to June 30, 2003) and provides an overview of the condition of the groundwater resource. See the
Executive Summary for highlights and the GCC's recommendations in
Future Directions for Groundwater Protection. This report is available online at
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/water/dwg/gcc/index.html.
Sincerely,
Todd Ambs
Chair
Referred to committee on Environment and Natural Resources.
State of Wisconsin
Department of Health and Family Services
August 29, 2003
The Honorable, The Senate:
Section
227.485(9) of the Wis. Stats. requires the Department to submit a report concerning decisions and resulting payments of attorney fees and related legal costs. Attorney fees and other legal costs are to be paid whenever the opposing party to an agency's Chapter
227 hearing prevails and it is determined the agency's position was not substantially justified. No payments were made during SFY 2003.
In addition, under 814.245(10) of the Wis. Stats. the Department is required to report any awards granted to the Department regarding frivolous motions brought against this Department. In SFY 2003, no motions of opposing parties were found to be frivolous. Consequently, the department has no awards to report.
Sincerely,
Helene Nelson
Secretary
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
September 3, 2003
The Honorable, The Legislature:
We have completed financial audits of the Mendota and Winnebago Mental Health Institutes for the period July 1, 2001 through June 30, 2002. The audits were requested by the Department of Health and Family Services to comply with requirements of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. We are able to express an unqualified opinion on each Institute's financial statements.
The financial position of both Institutes improved significantly during fiscal year 2001-02: Mendota reported a net increase in assets of $2.5 million, and Winnebago reported a net increase of $1.0 million. In addition, the Institutes have significantly reduced the negative cash balances in their appropriations, which are reported as loans from the State of Wisconsin because the State's pool of cash covers the deficits. Higher billing rates and improved billing and collection procedures have contributed to the Institutes' improved financial positions.
For several years, the Department experienced technical problems in implementing its new billing and accounting system for the Institutes, which resulted in significant billing and collection delays and accounting problems. The department is taking reasonable steps to address implementation problems and to improve the timeliness and effectiveness of its billing and collection efforts. The Department also continues to improve its process for estimating patient revenues and receivables for financial reporting.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by the Department of Health and Family Services staff during our audit.
Sincerely,
Janice Mueller
