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.
S647
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
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 1999 session of the legislature, visit the Ethics Board's web site at
http://ethics.state.wi.us
Bochert, Linda Energy Services of Manitowoc LLC
Schreier, David Aventis Pharmaceuticals
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 the organizations that employ lobbyists.
Sincerely,
Roth Judd
Director
__________________
Relating to eligibility criteria for children with disabilities.
Submitted by Department of Public Instruction.
Report received from Agency, July 11, 2000.
Referred to committee on Education,
July 12, 2000
.
Relating to the design and construction of public swimming pools.
Submitted by Department of Commerce.
Report received from Agency, July 12, 2000.
Referred to committee on Economic Development, Housing and Government Operations, July 12, 2000
.
Relating to the state uniform plumbing code.
Submitted by Department of Commerce.
Report received from Agency, July 10, 2000.
Referred to committee on Economic Development, Housing and Government Operations, July 12, 2000
.
Relating to animal diseases, animal movement and livestock markets, dealers and truckers.
Submitted by Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.
Report received from Agency, July 5, 2000.
Referred to committee on Agriculture, Environmental Resources and Campaign Finance Reform, July 12, 2000
.
Relating to authorized special groups.
Submitted by Department of Transportation.
Report received from Agency, July 11, 2000.
Referred to committee on Insurance, Tourism, Transportation and Corrections, July 12, 2000
.
__________________
The committee on Agriculture, Environmental Resources and Campaign Finance Reform reports and recommends:
Relating to hunting, trapping and captive wildlife.
No action taken.
Alice Clausing
Chairperson
The committee on Economic Development, Housing and Government Operations reports and recommends:
