Noes: 3 - Representatives Brandemuehl, Black and Boyle.
Passage as amended:
Ayes: 9 - Representatives Johnsrud, Powers, Brandemuehl, Ott, Gunderson, Hutchison, Black, Bock and Baumgart.
Noes: 0.
To committee on Rules.
Assembly Bill 687
Relating to: possession of firearms by persons under 12 years of age.
Passage:
Ayes: 8 - Representatives Johnsrud, Powers, Brandemuehl, Ott, Gunderson, Hutchison, Black and Baumgart.
Noes: 1 - Representative
Bock.
To committee on Rules.
DuWayne Johnsrud
Chairperson
Committee on Natural Resources
__________________
Referral of Agency Reports
State of Wisconsin
Department of Justice
Madison
January 15, 1998
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
Section
165.90, Wisconsin Statutes, requires that you receive an annual report on the performance of the county-tribal law enforcement programs funded under this section. Please accept this letter as the report for awards made in January of 1997.
Sincerely,
James E. Doyle
Attorney General
Referred to committee on Judiciary.
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Department of Administration
Division of Gaming
Madison
January 26, 1998
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
RE: Division of Gaming Quarterly Report
A543
Included with this correspondence, I am submitting the quarterly report of the Department of Administration, Division of Gaming (Gaming), for the six months ending December 31, 1997. As required by s.
562.02(1)(g), Wis. Stats., the attached materials contain pari-mutual wagering and racing statistical information, as well as the revenues and expenditures for Gaming's Racing, Charitable Gaming and Indian Gaming programs.
If you have any questions or comments regarding this report, please do not hesitate to contact me at (608) 270-2560.
Sincerely,
F. Scott Scepaniak
Administrator
Division of Gaming
Referred to committee on State Affairs.
__________________
Agency Reports
State of Wisconsin
Department of Corrections
Madison
January 26, 1998
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
The following information is provided for your consideration and review pursuant to 301.03(6m) WI STATS. The figures below cover the period from January 1, 1997 to December 31, 1997.
1. There were 38 inmates transferred involuntarily from a prison to a mental health institute under 51.20(13)(A)4. All but six were committed for outpatient treatment. Six inmates were committed to inpatient treatment and stayed an average 37 days.
No inmates transferred voluntarily from prison to a mental health institute,
2. 3,134 inmates underwent voluntary treatment with psychotropic drugs and 38 inmates were treated with psychotropic drugs on an involuntary basis.
The types of medication used include antipsychotic drugs, antidepressant drugs, mood stabilizers, anti-parkinsonian medications, and medications for side effects.
3. Mental health services, both psychiatric and psychological, are available at all major institutions. Services include individual and group therapy, chemotherapy, psychiatric, psychological, and neuropsychological evaluations, crisis intervention, sex offender groups, domestic abuse groups, and anger management groups.
Inmates who need more intensive mental health services are transferred to the Special Management Unit at Columbia Correctional Institution, the Wisconsin Resource Center, or one of the Mental Health Institutes.
If you need any additional information, please let me know.
Sincerely,
MICHAEL J. SULLIVAN
Secretary
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
Madison
February 2, 1998
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
We have completed an evaluation of the Department of Health and Family Services' regulation of Wisconsin nursing homes and a review of the Board on Aging and Long Term Care's role in monitoring nursing homes, as directed by the Joint Legislative Audit Committee. Approximately 100 surveyors in five regional offices of the Department regularly inspect the state's 430 nursing homes. Based on 2,328 visits to nursing homes in fiscal years 1995-96 and 1996-97, the Department issued 5,642 federal citations that led to a variety of enforcement actions including $410,075 in penalties, and 751 state citations resulting in $334,480 in forfeitures.
Federal regulations appear to provide an adequate foundation for the Department's regulatory efforts, although enforcement of these regulations appears to have been affected by a period of transition following their implementation in July 1995. State statutes and rules, in contrast, are outdated. Although work on new state rules began in 1996, new rules are not expected to be completed until 1999. Because the Department's surveyors exhibit different patterns of citing practices among the regions within the state, we include a recommendation that the Department take action to improve consistency among its surveyors. In addition, the Legislature could consider statutory amendments to increase penalties for nursing homes that have been unresponsive to regulatory efforts and to clarify the circumstances in which these nursing homes should be penalized.
The Board's ombudsmen help monitor nursing home conditions and assist residents, their families, and nursing home staff in the resolution of problems and concerns. The amount of work that ombudsmen can do with regard to monitoring the work of the Department or responding to consumers' concerns is limited by their number, which is small in comparison to programs in other states even after the recent increase from 8 to 11 positions. Finally, more could be done by both the Department and the Board to enable the public to contribute more effectively to the provision of quality care.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by staff in the Department of Health and Family Services and the Board on Aging and Long Term Care. Responses from the two agencies are included as Appendices I and II, respectively.
Respectfully submitted,
Dale Cattanach
State Auditor
State of Wisconsin
Department of Administration
Madison
December 19, 1997
To the Honorable, the Assembly:
I have enclosed a copy of the State of Wisconsin's Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1997. This report contains the "general purpose" or combined financial statements, and the combining financial statements for each fund type. As such, it represents a summary of all State transactions during the fiscal year.
I am pleased to report that the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) awarded a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to the State of Wisconsin for its fiscal year 1996 CAFR. The GFOA's Certificate is a prestigious national award recognizing conformance with the highest standards for state and local government financial reports. The State of Wisconsin is again applying for the Certificate, and the 1997 CAFR has been submitted to the GFOA.
If you have specific questions regarding the CAFR's contents or comments on its usefulness, please contact me at (608) 266-3628.
Sincerely,
William J. Raftery, CPA
State Controller
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Southeast Wisconsin Professional
Baseball Park District
January 21, 1998
RE: Monthly Progress Report
To the Honorable, the Assembly:
Enclosed please find your copy of the December 1997 Miller Park Monthly Progress Report. If you have any questions or comments on this months report, please feel free to contact me.
Thank you in advance for your consideration and input on the Miller Park project.
Very truly yours,
MICHAEL R. DUCKETT
Executive Director
__________________
By Donald J. Schneider, Senate Chief Clerk.
Mr. Speaker:
I am directed to inform you that the Senate has
