To committee on Natural Resources.
Senate Bill 7
Relating to: the filing of certain forms related to a tax incremental financing district.
By
Senator
Moen
; cosponsored by Representative Musser
.
To committee on Ways and Means.
Senate Bill 37
Relating to: water quality certification for wetlands.
By
committee on Environmental Resources.
To committee on Environment.
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Speaker's Communications
February 15, 2001
John A. Scocos
Assembly Chief Clerk
1 East Main Street, Suite 402
Dear Mr. Scocos:
On February 12, 2001,
Clearinghouse Rule 00-138 relating to extended area telephone service was referred to the Assembly Committee on Information Policy and Technology. Pursuant to Assembly Rule
13 (2)(b), I hereby withdraw
Clearinghouse Rule 00-138 from the Assembly Committee on Information Policy and Technology and re-refer that Clearinghouse Rule to the Assembly Committee on Small Business and Consumer Affairs.
Representative Pettis has been notified of this change and approves.
Sincerely,
Scott R. Jensen
Assembly Speaker
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Referral of Agency Reports
State of Wisconsin
Department of Health and Family Services
Madison
January 29, 2001
To the Honorable, the Assembly:
In
1997 Act 27, the 97-99 Biennial Budget, the Legislature established requirements in state law intended to strengthen protections for children and vulnerable adults in organized care settings. The provisions require, among other things, that designated caregivers conduct background checks on all new and existing staff and bar them from employing anyone who has committed certain crimes or acts. DHFS and (for certain child care providers) counties and local school boards must perform checks on a provider before issuing a license or other credential. Individuals who have committed prohibited crimes or acts may apply to the Department, counties, or school boards for a waiver of the employment or licensing bans upon evidence of rehabilitation.
Sections
48.685(5g) and
50.065(5g) of the Wisconsin Statutes direct the Department to submit a report to the legislature that specifies the number of persons who have sought waivers of employment or licensing bans by requesting to demonstrate that they have been rehabilitated. The report must also specify the number of requests that were approved and the reasons for the success or failure of the requests. Attached is the report for 2000.
Questions about this report should be referred to Linda Dawson, Deputy Chief Legal Counsel, at 608-266-0355.
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Thank you for distributing this report to members of the Assembly.
Sincerely,
Joe Leean
Secretary
Referred to committee on Health.
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Department of Administration
Madison
February 5, 2001
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
Re: Division of Gaming Quarterly Report
Included with this correspondence, I am submitting the report of the Department of Administration, Division of Gaming (Gaming), for the second quarter of fiscal year 2001 (October 1, 2000 through December 31, 2000). As required by s.
562.02(1)(g), Wis. Stats., the attached materials contain pari-mutuel wagering and racing statistical information, as well as the revenues for the program areas of Racing, Charitable Gaming and Indian Gaming. Please note that Bingo revenues are now captured in a new appropriation (836) and therefore are shown on a separate chart from the rest of Charitable Gaming.
If you have any questions or comments regarding this report, please do not hesitate to contact Richard Pedersen at (608) 270-2546.
Sincerely,
F. Scott Scepaniak
Administrator
Referred to committee on State Affairs.
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Department of Transportation
Madison
February 8, 2001
To the Honorable, the Assembly:
With great pleasure I present to you this report on the Pretrial Intoxicated Driver Intervention Grant Program. The program, created by section 85.53 Wis. Stats., was established by the legislature in 1997 with the requirement that the Department study its impact and report on its findings every even numbered year. This report covers the period from 1995, two years prior to the enactment of the program, through the year 1999.
The Pretrial Intoxicated Driver Intervention Program is designed for drivers who are arrested for their second or subsequent offense. It is an intervention program designed to get the offender into counseling, treatment and monitoring as soon as possible after the arrest in the belief that intervention is most effective if it happens very soon after the incident. Previously, intervention waited until the completion of court action, typically 90 to 120 days. This program brings offenders to intervention almost immediately, usually as part of the bail release process. It was hoped this early intervention would help reduce recidivism rates.
As you will see in the full report, early indications are good. It appears that offenders who successfully completed the program were less likely than non participants to be rearrested for subsequent operating while intoxicated violations and that those who were rearrested went significantly longer between arrests than non participants.
This report describes the program in each of the ten participating counties and provides a detailed explanation of its results. I commend those people who have dedicated themselves to making this innovative program a success.
Sincerely,
Terrence S. Mulcahy, P.E.
Secretary
Referred to committee on Highway Safety.
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Department of Employment Relations
Madison
February 2001
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
Pursuant to s.
230.04(9)(em), Wis. Stats., I am pleased to submit the Veterans Employment Report for 2000. The report summarizes veteran new hires and on-board statistics for the time period and includes information for each state agency and each institution of the University of Wisconsin System.
Veterans comprise and important segment of the Wisconsin workforce in both the private and public sectors. State government - and any other employer - can benefit greatly by recruiting and retaining our nation's trained and motivated veterans.
Sincerely,
Peter D. Fox
Secretary
Referred to committee on Veterans and Military Affairs.
__________________
Agency Reports
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
Madison
February 1, 2001
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
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This biennial report on the operations and performance of the Legislative Audit Bureau covers the period January 1, 1999 through December 31, 2000. It summarizes the Bureau's statutory responsibilities, significant developments affecting the Bureau, and reports released during the past two years and is required under s.
13.94(1)(j), Wis. Stats.
The Bureau conducts 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 1999-2000 members were:
Rep. Carol Kelso Sen. Gary George
Rep. Stephen Nass Sen. Judy Robson
Rep. John Gard Sen. Brian Burke
Rep. Robert Ziegalbauer Sen. Mary Lazich
Rep. David Cullen Sen. Peggy Rosenzweig
In total, we released 42 numbered reports during the biennium, as well as several dozen other documents of a narrow scope or intended for a limited audience. We make every effort to deliver accurate, timely, and useful analyses that enhance the accountability of state government, and we look forward to serving the Legislature, the Governor, and the people of Wisconsin in the coming years.
Respectfully submitted,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
Madison
February 16, 2001
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
We have completed a review of Employment Solutions, Inc. (ESI) and 15 other Wisconsin Works (W-2) agencies as part of a comprehensive audit of the statewide implementation of the W-2 program. We have identified charges for out-of-state work and other unallowable and questioned expenditures by ESI that are similar to those we identified for Maximus, Inc., an agency that also administers the W-2 program in Milwaukee County.
We identified $270,268 in unallowable costs that were related to ESI's activities outside of Wisconsin but charged to the W-2 program. Most were related to unsuccessful efforts to acquire a contract for administration of Arizona's welfare-to-work program. Our findings suggest the extent of ESI's out-of-state activities was greater than the agency had indicated.
Among $3.6 million in additional transactions for ESI, we identified $35,899 in unallowable costs and questioned another $61,234 in expenditures charged to the W-2 program. Unallowable and questioned transactions include expenditures for entertaining ESI employees, advertising, legal services, local hotel charges, and a variety of restaurant and other food charges.
We also reviewed staff performance incentives that were charged to the W-2 program by three agencies in 1999. ESI provided substantially higher incentives than the other agencies, partly because ESI has chosen to make a portion of employees' compensation contingent upon performance. ESI's incentives averaged $9,635 each for the 84 employees receiving them. ESI's chief executive officer received a total of $61,645 in 1999; that amount reflects incentive payments for performance in 1998 and 1999.
Finally, we identified $12,604 in unallowable costs and $114,487 in questioned costs made by six other W-2 agencies.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by the W-2 agencies and the Department of Workforce Development during the course of our review.
