To committee on Judiciary, Corrections, and Housing.
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Senate
November 9, 2007
The Honorable, The Senate:
Pursuant to Senate Rule
75, I am writing to you to inform you of how I would have voted on the few votes I missed yesterday.
Assembly Bill 207
Rejection of SA 19 - Aye
Rejection of SA 20 - Aye
Adoption of SA 20 - Nay
Reconsider adoption of SA 20 - Nay
Adoption of SA 21 - Aye
Refer to Committee - Nay
Concurrence - Aye
Please contact me if you have any questions pertaining to this matter.
With kindest regards,
Dale W. Schultz
State of Wisconsin
Department of Health and Family Services
October 26, 2007
The Honorable, The Senate:
Wisconsin State Statute 13.172 (2) directs the Department of Health and Family Services to submit an annual report to the Legislature regarding information on pharmacies and pharmacists that discontinue participation as a certified provider of medical assistance (MA). The mandate also requires the Department to report whether pharmacists comply with the MA program's deductible and co-payment requirements.
A comparison of MA certified pharmacy providers in SFY 2006 and SFY 2007 indicates 65 new pharmacies were certified as MA providers in SFY 2007. In addition, 21 Wisconsin pharmacies' or pharmacists' MA certification ended in SFY 2007. Twenty of those pharmacies no longer met certification requirements; many because their business closed altogether. One provider chose to discontinue their MA certification. There were 25 out-of-state pharmacies or pharmacists that were no longer certified as providers of MA in SFY 2007.
The Department of Health and Family Services has not received any complaints that pharmacists have incorrectly charged MA participants a deductible or co-payment.
With warm regards,
Kevin R. Hayden
Secretary
State of Wisconsin
Ethics Board
October 30, 2007
The Honorable, The Senate:
The following lobbyists have been authorized to act on behalf of the organizations set opposite their names.
For more detailed information about these lobbyists and organizations and a complete list of organizations and people authorized to lobby the 2007-2008 session of the legislature, visit the Ethics Board's web site at
http://ethics.state.wi.us/
Sellen, Jayme Brown County
Also available from the Wisconsin Ethics Board are reports identifying the amount and value of time state agencies have spent to affect legislative action and reports of expenditures for lobbying activities filed by organizations that employ lobbyists.
Sincerely,
R. Roth Judd
Executive Director
State of Wisconsin
Department of Administration
October 31, 2007
The Honorable, The Legislature:
This report is transmitted as required by s.
20.002(11)(f), Wisconsin Statutes, (for distribution to the appropriate standing committees under s.
13.172(3), Wisconsin Statutes) and confirms that the Department of Administration has found it necessary to exercise the “temporary reallocation of balances" authority provided by this section in order to meet payment responsibilities and cover resulting negative cash balances during the month of September 2007.
On September 13, 2007, the Dry Cleaner Environmental Response Fund cash balance closed at a negative $12 thousand. This negative balance continued through September 30, 2007, when the fund's cash balance closed at a negative $55 thousand. The Dry Cleaner Environmental Response Fund cash balance reached its intra month low of a negative $56 thousand on September 17, 2007. The negative balance was due to the difference in the timing of revenues and expenditures.
On September 1, 2007, the Wisconsin Health Education Loan Repayment Fund cash balance closed at a negative $2 thousand. This negative balance continued through September 30, 2007, when the fund's cash balance closed at a negative $2 thousand. The negative balance was due to the difference in the timing of revenues and expenditures.
The Dry Cleaner Environmental Response Fund and Wisconsin Health Education Loan Repayment Fund shortfalls were not in excess of the statutory interfund borrowing limitations and did not exceed the balances of the funds available for interfund borrowing.
The distribution of interest earnings to investment pool participants is based on the average daily balance in the pool and each fund's share. Therefore, the monthly calculation by the State Controller's Office will automatically reflect the use of these temporary reallocations of balance authority, and as a result, the funds requiring the use of the authority will effectively bear the interest cost.
Referred to joint committee on Finance.
Sincerely,
Michael L. Morgan
Secretary
State of Wisconsin
College Savings Program Board
October 31, 2007
The Honorable, The Senate:
S428
We are pleased to submit the 2006‐2007 College Savings Program Annual Report. This tenth annual report covers the
EdVest and
tomorrow's scholar plans, highlighting the key developments in the program over the past fiscal year, with summaries of the financial statements. The program experienced significant growth and success in FY07. As of June 30, we were helping to meet the college savings needs of over 228,000 current and future students and families nationwide with over $2.1 billion in assets under management.
Highlights for the year:
• In January 2007 a series of portfolio reallocations approved by the College Savings Program Board were implemented, increasing portfolio diversification and reducing expenses by up to 0.14% for an annual savings to investors of $733,000.
• In July 2006 we joined the SAGE Scholars program to offer EdVest and tomorrow's scholar account owners the opportunity to earn Tuition Rewards points each quarter, based on the balance in their 529 accounts. Each point equals one dollar in guaranteed undergraduate tuition discounts at participating private schools nationwide. Accounts can earn a maximum value of one year's tuition.
• Total program fees now include some of the lowest among all “529" college savings plans nationally.
The College Savings Program Board and staff look forward to continued growth with quality service to participants in this exciting program. We're sending a cover letter regarding this report to all state legislators and will post the report on our website
www.ost.state.wi.us/home/edvest.html If you have any questions regarding the Annual Report, please contact Marty Olle at 264‐7886.
Sincerely,
Senator Alberta Darling
Chair, College Savings Program Board
State Treasurer Dawn Marie Sass
Member, College Savings Program Board
__________________
Relating to the identification of gifted and talented pupils.
Submitted by Department of Public Instruction.
Report received from Agency, November 5, 2007.
Referred to committee on Education,
November 9, 2007.
__________________
Assembly Bill
33
Relating to: the distribution of the penalty for converting agricultural land.
By Representatives Owens, Albers, Hahn, Gunderson, Mursau and Townsend.
Read first time and referred to committee on Agriculture and Higher Education.
Assembly Bill
89
Relating to: operating an aircraft recklessly or under the influence of an intoxicant and providing a penalty and granting rule-making authority.
By Representatives Mursau, Krusick, Berceau, Hines, Kerkman, Molepske, A. Ott, J. Ott, Pocan, Sinicki, Stone, Townsend, Zepnick and Gunderson; cosponsored by Senators Plale, Coggs, Lassa, Olsen, Risser, Roessler, Schultz and Wirch.
Read first time and referred to committee on Transportation and Tourism.
Assembly Bill
224
Relating to: immunity from liability for a health care provider, health care facility, or employee of a health care provider or health care facility that, in good faith, reports a violation of the law or of a clinical or ethical standard by another health care provider, health care facility, or employee of a health care provider or health care facility.
By Representatives Pridemore, Townsend, Hines, Owens, Hahn, Musser, Albers, Gunderson and J. Ott.
