Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Ninety-Eighth Regular Session
The Chief Clerk makes the following entries under the above date.
__________________
The Chief Clerk makes the following entries dated Thursday, September 25
, 2008.
The committee on Health, Human Services, Insurance, and Job Creation reports and recommends:
Relating to certification of outpatient mental health clinics, and affecting small businesses.
Report modifications requested, Ayes 6, Noes 0.
Ayes, 6 - Senators
Erpenbach, Vinehout, Carpenter, Taylor, Lazich and Kanavas.
Noes, 0 - None.
Jon Erpenbach
Chairperson
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The Chief Clerk makes the following entries dated Friday, September 26
, 2008.
The committee on Labor, Elections and Urban Affairs reports and recommends:
Relating to increasing Wisconsin's minimum wages and affecting small businesses.
No action taken.
Spencer Coggs
Chairperson
__________________
The Chief Clerk makes the following entries dated Monday, September 29
, 2008.
The committee on Commerce, Utilities and Rail reports and recommends:
Relating to the uniform dwelling code.
No action taken.
Relating to electrical construction.
No action taken.
Jeffrey Plale
Chairperson
The committee on Transportation and Tourism reports and recommends:
Relating to multiple trip overweight permits for vehicles transporting granular roofing materials.
No action taken.
Relating to the occupational licensing program.
No action taken.
Jeffrey Plale
Chairperson
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
September 18, 2008
The Honorable, The Legislature:
As requested by the Public Service Commission (PSC), we have completed a financial audit of the Universal Service Fund, which was established to ensure that all state residents receive essential telecommunications services and have access to advanced telecommunications capabilities. It is funded primarily through assessments on telecommunications providers, which totaled $30.0 million in fiscal year (FY) 2006-07. Our audit report contains our unqualified opinion on the Universal Service Fund's financial statements for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2007, and June 30, 2006.
Eight of 13 programs currently supported by the Universal Service Fund are operated by the PSC. The programs provide low-income or disabled individuals affordable access to basic telephone and information services, lessen the financial effect of high rate increases, and assist in the purchase of medical telecommunications equipment.
S892
The largest program supported by the Universal Service Fund is the Educational Telecommunications Access Program, which is administered by the Department of Administration (DOA). This program subsidizes data lines and video links for eligible educational institutions. In FY 2006, 2007, expenditures for the program totaled $17.4 million.
The Universal Services Fund also supported two programs administered by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) during FY 2006-07, including state aid to public library systems. Since FY 2004-05, the Universal Service Fund has been used increasingly for library system aid.
In our Report on Internal Control and Compliance, we reported on three fiscal management issues that require attention by the PSC and DOA. We found errors in the financial statements, inaccurate copayment billings for educational institutions participating in the Educational Telecommunications Access Program, and an incorrect treatment of a prior-year refund.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by staff at the PSC, DOA, DPI, University of Wisconsin System, and the Universal Service Fund's administrator, Wipfli LLP.
