December 1, 2006
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
This report from the Groundwater Advisory Committee is in fulfillment of
2003 Wisconsin Act 310, sec. 15(2)(e). The Groundwater Advisory Committee will gladly meet with the legislative committees to provide further information about its deliberations and subsequent decisions documented in this report.
Sincerely,
Ron Kuehn
Committee Chair
Referred to committee on Natural Resources.
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State of Wisconsin
Gathering Waters Conservancy
Madison
December 5, 2006
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
It is my pleasure to share with you a report on Gathering Waters Conservancy's activities and accomplishments for Fiscal Year 2006. This report is being submitted in accordance with the statutory requirements of s.23.0955(2)(b)5. Gathering Waters Conservancy has had an extremely successful year, thanks to the ongoing support of the state legislature and the Department of Natural Resources.
The more than 50 land trusts in Wisconsin have together permanently protected over 150,000 acres in communities across Wisconsin. Land trusts in Wisconsin have a combined membership of close to 50,000 individuals and thousands of local volunteers. Over 21 land trusts have paid staff working to further their mission, evidence of their solid support as community institutions.
We look forward to continuing to work with the Department and the state legislature to achieve our mutual conservation goals. Please do not hesitate to contact me for additional information. I have also enclosed Gathering Waters Conservancy's audited financial reports for FY 2006 for your review.
Sincerely,
Althea Dotzour
Interim Executive Director
Referred to committee on Natural Resources.
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State of Wisconsin
Department of Administration
Madison
December 6, 2006
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
Included with this correspondence, I am submitting the report of the Department of Administration, Division of Gaming (Gaming), for the third quarter of fiscal year 2006 (January 1, 2006 through March 31, 2006) and the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2006 (April 1, 2006 through June 30, 2006). 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, Bingo and Indian Gaming. It should be noted that the Geneva Lakes Greyhound Track ceased its live greyhound racing on November 6, 2005 and completely closed its doors on April 1, 2006.
If you have any questions or comments regarding this report, please do not hesitate to contact Rachel Meek at (608) 270-2535.
Sincerely,
Robert W. Sloey
Administrator
Referred to committee on State Affairs.
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State of Wisconsin
Department of Justice
Madison
December 18, 2006
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
Section
165.90 of the Wisconsin Statutes requires the Department of Justice to report on the performance of cooperative county-tribal law enforcement programs receiving aid under this section. This letter constitutes our report.
The Department of Justice's Country-Tribal Law Enforcement Grant Program continues to help local law enforcement provide needed services in Native American communities. In addition, this program helps build a cooperative atmosphere and positive relationship between law enforcement and tribal governments and communities. I am pleased to share information regarding this important program with you.
Very truly yours,
Peggy A. Lautenschlager
Attorney General
Referred to committee on Criminal Justice.
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State of Wisconsin
Department of Health and Family Services
Madison
December 28, 2006
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
The Department of Health and Family Services is pleased to report to you and the Legislature on the development of a uniform document of gift form that will aid families considering the donation of a loved one's organs and tissues. This work was required by
2005 Wisconsin Act 229.
2005 Wisconsin Act 229, effective November 1, 2006, required that additional information be included in any document of anatomical gift for organ and tissue donation. Act 229 also directed the DHFS to convene a group of interested parties to discuss and provide input about the development of a document for use by all parties including hospitals, organ procurement organizations, tissue banks, coroners and medical examiners involved in the donation process.
In September, DHFS convened a group to discuss the need for a statewide form. The group included representatives from the Wisconsin Hospital Association; University of Wisconsin Organ Procurement Organization; Wisconsin Donor Network Organ Procurement Organization; American Tissue Services Foundation; the Musculoskeletal Foundation; RTI Donor Services; Wisconsin Tissue Bank; the Lions Eye Bank of Wisconsin; the Wisconsin Coroners and Medical Examiners Association and the Wisconsin Funeral Directors Association. In the course of several meetings, the parties concluded that a uniform document had value and reached consensus on the specifics of the form. This document provides grieving families with the information they need and simplifies the consent process.
Through this effort, Wisconsin has become one of the first states to have a uniform consent form for organ, tissue and eye donation. The model form has been distributed to all organ and tissue recovery organizations, and the Wisconsin Hospital Association has shared it with their members. It has also been posted to the DHFS Forms Library at
http://dhfs.wisconsin.gov/forms/DPHIdph43O25.ndf. A copy of the document is attached.
Please let me know if you would like additional information.
Sincerely,
Helene Nelson
Secretary
Referred to committee on Health.
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Agency Reports
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
Madison
December 5, 2006
To the Honorable, the Assembly:
At the request of the departments of Commerce and Administration, and in accordance with s.
13.94(1s), Wis. Stats., we have completed a financial audit of the State of Wisconsin Petroleum Inspection Fee Revenue Obligations Program for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2006, and June 30, 2005. We express our unqualified audit opinion on the Statement of Changes in Program Assets and related notes.
Since the program began in 2000, the State has issued $387.6 million in revenue obligations, such as bonds and commercial paper, to provide financing for payment of claims under the Wisconsin Petroleum Environmental Cleanup Fund Award (PECFA) program. These revenue obligations are not general obligation debt of the State. Instead, they are to be repaid primarily from the fee collected by the Department of Revenue from suppliers of petroleum products sold in Wisconsin. This fee, which is established in s.
168.12(1), Wis. Stats., was reduced from $0.03 per gallon to $0.02 per gallon effective April 1, 2006, as provided for in
2005 Wisconsin Acts 25 and
85.
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Petroleum inspection fees are initially credited to the Transportation Fund. They are then transferred by the Department of Revenue to the trustee of the Petroleum Inspection Fee Revenue Obligations Program. After satisfying debt service requirements, the trustee transfers any remaining fees back to the State for deposit to the Petroleum Inspection Fund. We found that the Department of Revenue erroneously transferred amounts in excess of actual petroleum inspection fee collections to the trustee. As a result, the Petroleum Inspection Fund was incorrectly credited for amounts that should have remained in the Transportation Fund. An estimate to correct for this error has already been included in the State's Annual Fiscal Report for 2005-06, published by the Department of Administration in October 2006. In a separate audit communication, we include recommendations for the Department of Revenue to calculate actual excess transfers and make necessary adjustments to the State's central accounting records.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us during the audit by staff of the departments of Commerce, Administration, and Revenue.
Respectfully submitted,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
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State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
Madison
December 15, 2006
To the Honorable, the Assembly:
We have completed a financial audit of WHA Radio, as requested by the University of Wisconsin-Extension to fulfill the audit requirements of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The Corporation requires audited financial statements of public broadcasting entities to determine future funding levels.
WHA Radio is licensed to the University of Wisconsin System's Board of Regents and is operated by the University of Wisconsin-Extension. WHA Radio earned $10.0 million in revenues during fiscal year 2005-06, including state support, member contributions, funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and various other grants.
Our audit report contains the financial statements and related notes for the period July 1, 2005, through June 30, 2006. We were able to issue an unqualified independent auditor's report on these statements.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by University of Wisconsin-Extension staff during the audit.
Respectfully submitted,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
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State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
Madison
December 15, 2006
To the Honorable, the Assembly:
We have completed a financial audit of WHA Television, as requested by the University of Wisconsin-Extension to fulfill the audit requirements of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The Corporation requires audited financial statements of public broadcasting entities to determine future funding levels.
WHA Television is licensed to the University of Wisconsin System's Board of Regents and is operated by the University of Wisconsin-Extension. WHA Television earned $14.9 million in revenues during fiscal year 2005-06, including state support, member contributions, funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and various other grants.
Our audit report contains the financial statements and related notes for the period July 1, 2005, through June 30, 2006. We were able to issue an unqualified independent auditor's report on these statements.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by University of Wisconsin-Extension staff during the audit.
Respectfully submitted,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
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State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
Madison
December 15, 2006
To the Honorable, the Assembly:
