Wednesday, July 12, 2000
Ninety-Fourth Regular Session
The Chief Clerk makes the following entries under the above date.
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State of Wisconsin
Department of Public Instruction
July 6, 2000
The Honorable, The Legislature:
In accordance with Section
115.38(3), Wisconsin Statutes, the state superintendent is required to publish and distribute to the legislature under s.
13.172(2) a summary of the reports under sub. (2).
As a partial fulfillment of the above statutory requirements, please find enclosed a copy of each of the following 1998-99
Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examinations reports which include the performance of pupils, by subject area, on the statewide assessment examinations administered under s.
118.30, Wis. Stats.:
Wisconsin School Performance Report Results for Districts and Schools Within Districts, Volume I, Grade 4
Wisconsin School Performance Report Results for Districts and Schools Within Districts, Volume II, Grade 8
Wisconsin School Performance Report Results for Districts and Schools Within Districts, Volume III, Grade 10
Sincerely,
Steven B. Dold
Deputy State Superintendent
State of Wisconsin
Department of Health and Family Services
June 26, 2000
The Honorable, The Senate:
As required by s.
242.04(11), Wis Stats., enclosed is the Annual Statewide Immunization Program Report. Please distribute this report to the appropriate standing committees.
Sincerely,
Joe Leean
Secretary
Referred to committee on Health, Utilities, Veterans and Military Affairs.
State of Wisconsin
Department of Health and Family Services
June 30, 2000
The Honorable, The Legislature:
Section
46.972(4) of the statutes requires the Department of Health and Family Services to submit to the Legislature a report each year on the allocation and expenditure of funds for services for homeless individuals with severe and persistent mental illness. Attached is the report for Calendar Year 1999.
If you have any questions, please contact Chris Hendrickson, Director, Bureau of Community Mental Health. His phone number is 267-9282.
Thank you for your assistance with this matter.
Sincerely,
Joe Leean
Secretary
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
July 11, 2000
The Honorable, The Legislature:
As directed by the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, we have completed our evaluation of Wisconsin's Food Stamp Program, which is administered by the Department of Workforce Development. The program was created by the federal government in 1964 to assist low-income individuals and families in purchasing food. In January, 2000, approximately 75 percent of those receiving program benefits in Wisconsin were either children, disabled, or over age 60.
Under federal law, food stamps are an entitlement to those who meet both nonfinancial and financial eligibility requirements. Program benefits are almost entirely federally funded. In fiscal year (FY) 1998-99, benefit costs were $122.7 million; administrative costs, which are funded equally by the federal government and state general purpose revenue, totaled $45.0 million. Approximately 311,800 Wisconsin individuals participated in the program in FY 1998-99.
In July 1999, a federal report showed that as welfare reforms were implemented nationally, Food Stamp Program participation declined faster in Wisconsin than in any other state. Our analysis confirmed this decline. Based on the best available data, we estimate that from 1994 through 1998, the percentage of individuals living in poverty in Wisconsin who received food stamps declined from 97 to 70 percent. A number of factors are likely responsible for this trend, including the effects of Wisconsin Works and other welfare reform initiatives, more frequent recertification requirements for benefit recipients, additional work requirements for some food stamp recipients, and administrative problems in local agencies. As Food Stamp Program participation has declined, alternative food programs that provide nonperishable food and meals have reported increased demand for their services.
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The Department and local agencies have undertaken a number of initiatives to improve program administration, including providing caseworkers with additional training, expanding the number of program application sites and the hours during which applications are taken, and working with alternative food programs to facilitate access to food stamp benefits. If the Legislature believes additional efforts to expand program services are appropriate, a number of other options could be exercised, but some would require changes in federal law.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by the Department of Workforce Development and staff of the local agencies we visited. The Department's response in Appendix III.
Sincerely,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
State of Wisconsin
Department of Corrections
July 6, 2000
The Honorable, The Legislature:
The Department of Corrections has no claims under the above to report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2000. Our legal counsel personnel have reviewed settlements during FY 00 and have determined that none apply to ss.
227.485 and
814.245 of the Wisconsin Statutes.
Sincerely,
Jon Litscher
Secretary
State of Wisconsin
Ethics Board
July 11, 2000
