__________________
Referral of Agency Reports
State of Wisconsin
Department of Health and Family Services
Madison
February 25, 2002
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.
Thank you for distributing this report to members of the Assembly.
Sincerely,
Phyllis J. Dube
Secretary
Referred to committee on Health.
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State of Wisconsin
Department of Health and Family Services
Madison
February 27, 2002
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
The Bureau of Health Information, Department of Health and Family Services, is pleased to submit to the Governor and the Legislature the Uncompensated Health Care Report, Fiscal Year 2000. The data for this report were collected under section 153.05, Wisconsin Statutes, and are published as authorized by the requirements of section 120.20, Wisconsin Administrative Code.
This report is based on annual hospital uncompensated health care data reported to the Bureau of Health Information by all operating general medical-surgical and specialty hospitals in Wisconsin. The report sets forth the total charges for charity care, bad debt, and total uncompensated health care for fiscal year 2000. It also shows the projected number of patients and the projected charges for charity care, bad debt, and total uncompensated health care in fiscal year 2001.
Sincerely,
Phyllis J. Dube
Secretary
Referred to committee on Health.
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State of Wisconsin
Department of Workforce Development
Madison
February 28, 2002
To the Honorable, the Assembly:
A727
Pursuant to Section
109.12(2) and
(3). Wis. Stats., I hereby submit the Department of Workforce Development's (DWD) 2001 annual report on the administration and enforcement of Sections
109.07 and
109.075, Wis. Stats. The report contains three sections. The first section lists all businesses in 2001 that notified DWD of business closings and mass layoffs planned in Wisconsin. The second section of the report lists businesses against whom DWD has received business closing or mass layoff complaints, DWD's actions in processing those complaints and the current status or outcome of those complaints. The third section of the report lists businesses against whom DWD has received healthcare cessation complaints, DWD's actions in processing those complaints and the current status or outcome of those complaints.
On January 1, 2001, DWD had 14 business closing or mass layoff cases pending. Of these cases, 9 were assigned to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and were involved in various types of litigation. During 2001 the Wisconsin Supreme Court issued its decision in the NORCO Windows case (referenced in court documents as State of Wisconsin v. T. J. International, Inc.). In this matter the Supreme Court determined a business closing had not occurred when T. J. International, Inc. sold the assets of its Hawkins plant to Jeld-Wein, Inc. because the new owner commenced operating a business on the same site within 60 days of the sale. This, ruling affected two other cases pending litigation that DWD subsequently dismissed in 2001. The six other holdover cases assigned to the DOJ remain in litigation at this time. DWD had five holdover cases under investigation at the start of 2001 and concluded its investigation of each of these cases dismissing three complaints as invalid and finding two violations. The two violations have been referred to the DOJ and remain pending litigation at this time.
During 2001, DWD received 51 new business closing or mass layoff complaints for investigation. DWD completed investigations of 30 of these cases finding violations in 2 cases. The other 28 of the 30 cases were dismissed as invalid. The remaining 21 new complaints are under investigation at this time.
Thus far in 2002, DWD has received nine business closing or mass layoff complaints. Two of the complaint investigations have been completed with a finding of no violation. The remaining seven complaints are being investigated at this time.
Entering 2001, DWD had two healthcare cessation cases pending. Both cases involved violations that were referred to DOJ for litigation. One of those cases has since been settled. The other case remains pending in bankruptcy court.
During 2001, DWD received 13 healthcare cessation complaints for investigation, 5 of those cases remain under investigation at this time. In four of the completed investigations, DWD concluded no violation had occurred. In the remaining four cases, DWD documented violations, one case was settled and the remaining cases either have been or will be referred to DOJ for litigation.
To this point in 2002, DWD has received one healthcare cessation complaint. This complaint was dismissed for lack of jurisdiction shortly after it was received.
If you have any questions regarding the information contained in this report, please contact me.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Reinert
Secretary
Referred to committee on Labor and Workforce Development.
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State of Wisconsin
Higher Education Aids Board
Madison
March 1, 2002
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
Attached is a report summarizing a proposed program to forgive educational loans for Wisconsin farmers. Submission of this report is in compliance with Section 9124, Nonstatutory Provisions of
2001 Wisconsin Act 16.
Sincerely,
Jane Hojan-Clark
Executive Secretary
Referred to committee on Colleges and Universities.
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State of Wisconsin
Department of Public Instruction
Madison
March 1, 2002
To the Honorable, the Assembly:
Wisconsin school laws include the following provision in s.
115.45 (6)(b) and
(c), Wis. Stats.:
SECTION 115.45 Grants for preschool to grade 5 programs.
(6) The state superintendent shall:
(b) By March 1, 1986, and annually thereafter, submit to the joint committee on finance and the chief clerk of each house of the legislature, for distribution to the appropriate standing committees under s.
13.172 (3), a budget report detailing the grants he or she intends to award under this section in the next fiscal year. The report shall provide summary data on the results of the annual testing required under sub. (4) (b) and include a description of the guidelines used to determine the individual schools and private service providers that will receive funds under this section and the types of expenditures eligible for such funds.
(c) Annually submit to the legislature under s.
13.172 (2) a report on the academic progress made by pupils enrolled in preschool to grade 5 programs under this section.
All Preschool-to-Grade-5 (P-5) evaluation reports for 2000-2001 are contained herein as well as a report on the academic progress for all schools funded by the P-5 program. If you have any questions, please contact my office or Sandra Dercole in the DPI Office of Urban Education (414-227-4942).
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Burmaster
State Superintendent
Referred to committee on Education.
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Representative Foti moved that the Assembly stand adjourned until 9:30 A.M. on Thursday, March 7.
The question was: Shall the Assembly stand adjourned?
Motion carried.
The Assembly stood adjourned.
7:46 P.M.
