97_02_10

To committee on Labor and Employment .

Assembly Bill 70

Relating to: issuance of metallic mining permits for the mining of sulfide ore bodies.

By Representatives Black, Lorge, Baldwin, Hanson, Krusick, Ryba, Bock, Krug, Notestein, Boyle, Riley, R. Potter, R. Young, Baumgart, La Fave, Murat, Dueholm, Cullen, Hasenohrl, Springer, Huber, Plouff, Coggs, Vander Loop, Carpenter, L. Young, Wasserman, Robson, Hebl, Turner, J. Lehman, Travis, Meyer and Kunicki; cosponsored by Senators Shibilski, Burke, Clausing, Decker, Grobschmidt, Jauch, Plache, C. Potter, Risser, Wineke, Wirch and Moore.

To committee on Environment.

Assembly Bill 71

Relating to: transferring the public intervenor to the department of justice, the appointment of the secretary of natural resources and making an appropriation.

By Representatives Black, Lorge, Plouff, Carpenter, Ryba, Boyle, Bock, La Fave, Murat, R. Young, Notestein, Reynolds, R. Potter, Riley, Huber, Cullen, J. Lehman, Hasenohrl, Baumgart, Dueholm, Springer, Ziegelbauer, Baldwin and Vander Loop; cosponsored by Senators C. Potter, Shibilski, Wineke, Decker, Risser, Moen, Clausing and Plache.

To joint committee on Finance.

Assembly Bill 72

Relating to: the prohibition against underage persons entering or being on any premises operating under an alcohol beverage license.

By Representatives Gunderson, Ainsworth, Dobyns, Ryba, Hahn, Green, Olsen, Jensen, Musser, Duff, Kreuser, Goetsch, Springer, F. Lasee, Skindrud, Seratti, Owens, Grothman, Lazich, Plale and Hoven; cosponsored by Senator Decker .

To committee on State Affairs.

Assembly Bill 73

Relating to: providing a waiver from requirements relating to meals provided by bed and breakfast establishments.

By Representatives Porter, Otte, Brandemuehl, Duff, Harsdorf, Johnsrud, F. Lasee, Seratti, Grothman, Hahn, Jensen, Musser, Gronemus, Powers, Goetsch and Zukowski; cosponsored by Senators Rude, Buettner and Welch.

To committee on Small Business and Economic Development.

__________________

Referral of Agency Reports

State of Wisconsin
Department of Public Instruction
Madison

January 3, 1997

To the Honorable, the Assembly:

Pursuant to statutory requirements of 115.361 (7) (c) Wisconsin Statutes, the department is submitting its biennial evaluation of the grants made available to Wisconsin schools for the purpose of developing programs that prevent or ameliorate student alcohol and other drug abuse.

We are confident that this information will be distributed to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature by your office. If there are any questions about the report, please contact Steve Fernan at [phone].

Sincerely,

John T. Benson

State Superintendent

Referred to committee on Education.

__________________

A53 State of Wisconsin
Department of Employment Relations
Madison

DATE: January 10, 1997

TO: Charles R. Sanders
Chief Clerk of the Assembly

FROM: Jon E. Litscher
Secretary

RE: Reporting Requirements for the Education
Commission of the States

Please find the enclosed four documents from the Education Commission of the States (ECS), of which Governor Thompson is the past chairman.

1. 1995-96 Annual Report

2. 1996 Education Agenda

3. A copy of the ECS bylaws with amendments, if any

4. 1995-96 ECS Highlights

The ECS is required to file these with your office in order to meet its statutory requirements under ss. 39.75 and 39.76, Wis. Stats. If there are any questions please call me at 266-9820.

Referred to committee on Education.

__________________

State of Wisconsin
Department of Administration
Madison

January 21, 1997

To the Honorable, the Legislature:

Chapter 34, Laws of 1979, requires that when the Department of Administration maintains an office in Washington, DC, for the purpose of promoting federal/state cooperation, it should submit a report detailing the activities of the office and reporting the status of federal legislation of concern to the Legislature and other state agencies (Wis. Stats. 16.548(2)).

The report for the period October 1, 1996, through December 31, 1996, is attached.

Sincerely,

Mark D. Bugher

Secretary, DOA

Referred to committee on State-Federal Relations.

__________________

State of Wisconsin
Department of Revenue
Madison

January 21, 1997

To the Honorable, the Assembly:

In accordance with section 71.55(10)(e), Wis. Stats. (1993-94), I am enclosing copies of the Department of Revenue reports on distribution of enrollment cards for the Wisconsin State Medical Society "Partnercare" program.

Sincerely,

cate zeuske

Secretary, DOR

Referred to committee on Aging and Long-Term Care.

__________________

Agency Reports

State of Wisconsin
Department of Employment Relations
Madison

DATE: January 10, 1997

TO: Charles R. Sanders
Chief Clerk of the Assembly

FROM: Jon E. Litscher
Secretary

RE: Annual Report

The Department of Employment Relations, Division of Affirmative Action's annual Affirmative Action Report for Wisconsin State Government for fiscal year 1996 is now available. The report includes a summary of the State's equal employment opportunity/affirmative action responsibilities, the Division's equal employment opportunity and affirmative action program initiatives, and statistical reports on the status of affirmative action group members (women, racial/ethnic minorities, and persons with disabilities) in the classified state service.

Copies may be obtained from the Department of Employment Relations, Division of Affirmative Action, 137 East Wilson Street, Madison 53702. The telephone number is [phone].

__________________

State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
Madison

January 15, 1997

To the Honorable, the Legislature:

This is the biennial report of the operations and performance of the Legislative Audit Bureau for the period January 1, 1995 through December 31, 1996, as required by s. 13.94(1)(j), Wis. Stats.

A54 The Legislative Audit Bureau is a nonpartisan service agency of the Wisconsin Legislature and is responsible for conducting financial and program evaluation audits to assist the Legislature in its oversight of executive branch agencies. The Bureau's reports are received and reviewed by the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, whose December 31, 1996 members included:

Prior to June 17, 1996, the Senate Members of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee were Senator Peggy Rosenzweig, Co-Chairperson; Senator Timothy Weeden; Senator Margaret Farrow; Senator Russell Decker (resigned December 19, 1995); and Senator Joseph Wineke. Representative Doris Hanson was appointed to the Committee effective June 17, 1996, replacing former Representative Kimberly Plache, who was elected to the Senate and became Senate Co-Chairperson.

During 1995 and 1996, the audit Bureau completed audits and evaluations of a wide range of programs and issues affecting state and local government . This report includes a description of the Bureau and its responsibilities, and a summary of our work during this period.

Respectfully submitted,

Dale Cattanach

State Auditor

__________________

State of Wisconsin
Department of Agriculture, Trade
and Consumer Protection
Madison

January 17, 1997

To the Honorable, the Assembly:

The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection has completed a report on the farmland preservation program as directed by 1995 Wisconsin Act 27.

The department was required to examine alternative methods for administering the farmland preservation tax credit payback requirement for persons who withdraw from the program. In the first part of the report, we identify the shortcomings of the current tax credit payback process. In the second part of the report, we discuss three alternatives to the current process:

(1) Modification of the current process to track parcel data, tax information and ownership changes at the state level.

(2) Replacement of the tax credit payback with a flat fee on farmland that is converted to other uses.

(3) Elimination of the tax credit payback from the program.

Please feel free to call David Jelinski at [phone] if you have any questions concerning this report.

Sincerely,

Alan T. Tracy

Secretary, DATCP