Wednesday, August 6, 2003
Ninety-Sixth Regular Session
The Chief Clerk makes the following entries under the above date.
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Read and referred:
Senate Bill 224
Relating to: operating a vehicle or operating or going armed with a firearm after using certain controlled substances and providing penalties.
By
Senators
Harsdorf, Lazich, Lassa, Roessler, Kanavas, Darling, S. Fitzgerald, Stepp, Leibham, Kedzie, Reynolds and A. Lasee; cosponsored by Representatives Gundrum, Suder, Ziegelbauer, Staskunas, Kerkman, Krusick, Vukmir, Gronemus, LeMahieu, Turner, Ward, Towns, Petrowski, Olsen, Ainsworth, Weber, Nass, Ladwig, Hines, Ott, Gunderson, J. Fitzgerald, Van Roy, M. Lehman, Freese, Friske, Gielow, Rhoades, Vrakas, Pettis, Albers and Krawczyk, by request of Bill and Michelle Logemann, parents of Baby Luke.
To committee on Judiciary, Corrections and Privacy.
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The committee on Agriculture, Financial Institutions and Insurance reports and recommends:
Senate Bill 185
Relating to: sale of halal food.
Passage.
Ayes, 5 - Senators
Schultz, Brown, Kedzie, Hansen and Lassa.
Noes, 0 - None.
Dale Schultz
Chairperson
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State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
August 5, 2003
To the Honorable, the Senate:
The following bill(s), originating in the Senate, have been approved, signed and deposited in the office of the Secretary of State:
Sincerely,
Jim Doyle
Governor
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
July 31, 2003
To the Honorable, the Senate:
The following bill(s), originating in the Senate, have been approved, signed and deposited in the office of the Secretary of State:
Sincerely,
Jim Doyle
Governor
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Secretary of State
To the Honorable, the Senate:
Sincerely,
Douglas La follette
Secretary of State
State of Wisconsin
Department of Revenue
July 31, 2003
The Honorable, The Legislature:
This is to inform you that the Department of Revenue is continuing to work on the report for the Renew Wisconsin Performance Review Councils as required under s.
66.0315(7)(c). However, we would like to have additional time to conduct a thoughtful and thorough review of the information submitted by the three local governments who have created councils.
The additional time will also enable the Department to develop recommendations on how to proceed with the work of the Performance Review Councils. We will plan to submit our report to you no later than Friday, October 3, 2003.
Please feel free to contact Mr. James Gultry, Administrator of the Division of State and Local Finance, at 266-0939 should you have any questions or concerns regarding this matter.
Sincerely,
Michael L. Morgan
Secretary
Legislative Audit Bureau
July 30, 2003
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, 2002 and 2001.
The Universal Service Fund is funded through assessments on telecommunications providers, which totaled $22.3 million in fiscal year (FY) 2001-02. The largest program supported by the Fund is the Educational Telecommunications Access Program, which has been administered by the Technology for Educational Achievement (TEACH) Board. During FY 2001-02, $11.7 million, or 61.9 percent of total fund expenditures and transfers, was spent on this program, including subsidies for data lines and video links for schools, libraries, and others.
Most other programs supported by the Fund are operated by the PSC. Expenditures for these programs had historically been significantly less than annual program budgets. In response, in
2001 Wisconsin Act 16 the Legislature limited the amount of assessments to support the PSC-operated programs to $5.0 million in FY 2003-04 and $6.0 million in FY 2004-05. However, the level of expenditures and encumbrances in the PSC-operated programs increased during FY 2000-01 and FY 2001-02 and is relatively close to these limits on future assessment levels.
As a result of legislative action, the Universal Service Fund was required to lapse $3,979,000 to the General Fund during the 2001-03 biennium. Subsequent to the transfers, the Fund had a balance of approximately $4.8 million as of June 30, 2003.
