Report received from Agency, August 16, 2002.
To committee on Transportation.
Referred on August 22, 2002
.
Relating to land surveyor temporary permits.
Submitted by Department of Regulation and Licensing.
Report received from Agency, August 19, 2002.
To committee on Small Business and Consumer Affairs.
Referred on August 22, 2002
.
Submitted by Department of Regulation and Licensing.
Report received from Agency, August 16, 2002.
To committee on Health.
Referred on August 22, 2002
.
Relating to the children at risk program.
Submitted by Department of Public Instruction.
Report received from Agency, August 16, 2002.
To committee on Education.
Referred on August 22, 2002
.
__________________
Speaker's Appointments
August 20, 2002
Representative Suzanne Jeskewitz
Chair, Financial Institutions Committee
314 North, State Capitol
Madison, Wisconsin
Dear Sue:
A923
In light of the two vacancies on the Financial Institutions Committee that were created by the resignation of Scott Walker and retirement of Timothy Hoven, I have temporarily appointed Representatives Glenn Grothman and Lorraine Seratti to the committee. Their participation on the committee is effective immediately.
Sincerely,
Scott R. Jensen
Speaker
Wisconsin State Assembly
__________________
Agency Reports
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
Madison
August 20, 2002
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
We have completed a financial audit of the Mendota and Winnebago Mental Health Institutes for the period July 1, 2000 through June 30, 2001. The audit was requested by the Department of Health and Family Services to comply with requirements of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals. We are able to express an unqualified opinion on each Institute's financial statements. The financial statements show that, on an accrual basis, Mendota had a net loss of $360,835 and Winnebago had a net loss of $502,963.
We also reviewed the Department's progress in implementing its billing and accounting system for the Institutes and improving its process for estimating revenue and receivable balances. During prior years, we reported that technical problems associated with the system resulted in significant billing and collection delays and accounting problems. The Department is taking reasonable steps to address these technical issues. However, additional direction from management may be needed to improve the timeliness and effectiveness of the Department's collection efforts. As the result of continuing concerns with the Department's process for estimating patient revenues and receivables, one-time adjustments totaling $14.6 million were required to correct reporting errors in both Institutes' patient receivable balances.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by Department of Health and Family Services staff during our audit. The Department's response is the appendix.
Respectfully submitted,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
Madison
August 21, 2002
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
As requested by the Public Service Commission (PSC), we have completed a financial audit of the Universal Service Fund, which was established to ensure that all state residents receive essential telecommunications services and have access to advanced telecommunications capabilities. Our audit report contains our unqualified opinion on the Fund's financial statements and related notes for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2001 and 2000.
The Universal Service Fund is funded through assessments of telecommunications providers, which totaled $19.6 million in fiscal year (FY) 2000-01. The largest program supported by the Fund is the Educational Telecommunications Access Program, which is administered by the Technology for Educational Achievement (TEACH) Board. During FY 2000-01, $10.5 million, or 59.4 percent of total fund expenditures, was spent on subsidies and grants for data lines and video links for schools, libraries, and others under this program.
Other programs supported by the Fund are operated by the PSC. Historically, expenditures for these programs have been significantly less than annual program budgets. For example, in FY 1999-2000, the budget for PSC-operated programs was $8.0 million, but expenditures totaled only $2.7 million. Although expenditures increased 69.3 percent during FY 2000-01 as the result of the implementation of new programs, modification of existing programs, and increased outreach efforts, PSC expenditures and outstanding encumbrances totaling $5.8 million were less than the budget of $6.9 million during FY 2000-01. As the result of recent legislation, the PSC may not assess more than $5.0 million in FY 2003-04, and $6.0 million in FY 2004-05 and each year thereafter for PSC-operated programs.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by the staff at the PSC, TEACH, and the Fund's administrator, Williams Young, LLC, during the audit.
Respectfully submitted,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
