Finding of Emergency
The Department of Commerce finds that an emergency exists and that an emergency rule is necessary for the immediate preservation of public welfare. The facts constituting the emergency are as follows.
Between June 14 and July 9, 2008, thirty Wisconsin counties were declared major disaster areas by the President as a result of severe storms, tornados or flooding in 2008 that caused extensive damage to communities, residents, businesses, the economy and critical infrastructure. Subsequently, the federal Heartland Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2008 was enacted, authorizing the Governor of Wisconsin to designate up to $3,830,112,000 in Qualified Midwestern Disaster Area Bonds, which must be issued before January 1, 2013, for the purpose of encouraging economic development and recovery in the 30 counties.
To implement the provisions this federal Act, Governor Jim Doyle issued Executive Order #288, directing the Department to promulgate rules for allocating Wisconsin's Qualified Midwestern Disaster Area Bonding Authority, and including the necessary provisions to ensure that bonds are allocated to eligible projects on the basis of providing assistance to areas in the order in which the assistance is most needed. This rule is the result of that directive.
Publication Date:
November 9, 2009
Effective: November 9, 2009 through
April 7, 2010
Hearing Date:
January 25, 2010
Corrections (2)
Finding of Emergency
The Department of Corrections finds that an emergency exists and that an emergency rule is necessary for the immediate preservation of public peace, health, safety and welfare. A statement of facts constituting the emergency is:
Under
2009 WI Act 28, an increased number of inmates are being considered for release. In addition, the department has developed a number of release initiatives to address an inmate's successful transition from incarceration to community life. As part of those initiatives, there are costs associated with that transition, including acquiring housing, employment, and transportation. For example, an inmate must have a social security card, a driver's license or state identification card, the first months rent and security deposit for an apartment, and civilian clothing.
Under the current rule, an inmate may only use release account funds for “adequate clothing for release" and for “out-of-state release transportation." In addition, the rule limits the maximum amount of money which can be saved in the release account to $500.00. The emergency rule immediately permits the use of release account money for a wide variety of purchases, including fees associated with obtaining a driver's license or state identification card, housing, and a mode of transportation (bus tickets, vehicle, bicycle, etc.). In the past the Department has borne some of these costs, despite an inmate having the money in his or her release account. Given the initiatives of reentry and release, an inmate should be responsible for these expenditures.
In addition, the emergency rule raises the limit on release accounts from $500.00 to $5,000.00. Since the current limit was established, the cost of living in the community has risen. The department seeks this change to reflect the significant costs of housing, transportation, and food and other necessities.
If the rule is not created promptly and immediately, the department will not be able to use inmate release account funds to pay for items which inmates need in preparation for their release to the community. The purpose of the emergency rule is to permit inmates to use release account funds for a greater range of expenditures related to their release from incarceration and transition back into the community. The permanent rule process has been started. However, the permanent rule process will take approximately nine months to complete. Emergency rules are necessary to respond promptly to the need to use inmate funds, not state funds, while permanent rules are being developed.
Publication Date:
September 10, 2009
Effective: September 10, 2009
through February 6, 2010
Extension Through:
April 7, 2010
Hearing Date:
October 14, 2009
emergency_rules EmR0939
2.
EmR0939 — Rule adopted revising
Chapter DOC 302, relating to sentence calculations and prison release and to administrative review of inmate classification decisions.
Finding of Emergency
The Department of Corrections finds that an emergency exists and that emergency rules are necessary for the immediate preservation of public peace, health, safety and welfare. A statement of facts constituting the emergency is:
Under
2009 Wisconsin Act 28, the legislature provides for the release of inmates from prison if certain criteria are met. The Department is responsible for implementing several of those procedures. Specifically, the department is responsible for implementing the early release programs under: (1) s PAT (2) ERP/CIP (3) CER (4) Risk reduction (5) 75%/85%. In addition, the department is revising section 302.18 to facilitate the review of inmates for purposes of early release.
If the rule is not created promptly and immediately, the Department will not be able to proceed in reviewing inmates under these various release procedures. This could result in significant delay in the implementation of the statutory provisions which will negatively impact the ability of the Department to manage the inmate population in a safe and effective manner. In addition, a delay will affect the management and control of inmate population levels of correctional facilities with the resources necessary to maintain public safety.
The purpose of the emergency rule is to implement newly created statutory provisions providing for release of inmates under specified circumstances. The permanent rule process has been started. However, the permanent rule process will take approximately nine months to complete. Emergency rules are necessary for a prompt implementation of the legislative mandates concerning the release of inmates meeting established criteria while the permanent rules are being developed.
Publication Date:
December 31, 2009
Effective: December 31, 2009
through May 29, 2010
Hearing Date:
February 25, 2010
Earned Release Review Commission
(Formerly Parole Commission)
Finding of Emergency
The Wisconsin Earned Release Review Commission finds that an emergency exists and that emergency rules are necessary for the immediate preservation of public peace, health, safety and welfare. A statement of facts constituting the emergency is:
Under
2009 Wisconsin Act 28, the legislature provides for the release of inmates from prison if certain criteria are met. The Earned Release Review Commission (formerly the Parole Commission) is responsible for implementing several of those procedures. Specifically, the commission is responsible for considering the early release of inmates under: (1) section
304.06 (1) (bg)1. and
2., Stats., after the inmate has served the term of confinement of their bifurcated sentence less positive adjustment time, (2) section
304.06 (1) (bg) 3. and
4., Stats., after the inmate has served either 75 % or 85 % of their term of confinement, depending on the offense for which the inmate was sentenced, and (3) section
302.1135 (2) (a),
(b), and
(c), Stats., based on age or extraordinary health.
If the rule is not created promptly and immediately, the commission will not be able to proceed in reviewing inmates under these various release procedures. This could result in significant delay in the implementation of the statutory provisions which will negatively impact the ability of the department of corrections to manage the inmate population in a safe and effective manner. In addition, a delay will affect the management and control of inmate population levels of correctional facilities with the resources necessary to maintain public safety.
The purpose of the emergency rule is to implement newly created statutory provisions providing for release of inmates under specified circumstances. The permanent rule process has been started. However, the permanent rule process will take approximately nine months to complete. Emergency rules are necessary to respond the legislatively recognized need to review inmates who meet the requirements under the statutes for potential release while the permanent rules are being developed.
Publication Date:
December 31, 2009
Effective: December 31, 2009
through May 29, 2010
Hearing Date:
February 23, 2010
Employee Trust Funds
Finding of Emergency
The Department of Employee Trust Funds finds that an emergency exists and that emergency rules are necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or welfare. A statement of the facts constituting the emergency is:
ETF cannot promulgate a permanent rule in compliance with the mandated changes by January 1, 2010, which is the effective date of the domestic partnership and the health insurance provisions of
2009 Wisconsin Act 28. Without an emergency rule in place, the ability of ETF to enroll and cover participants' domestic partners and to provide health insurance to adult dependents would be seriously impaired. ETF would be unable to provide health insurance and other benefits to domestic partners and adult dependents.
Publication Date:
December 28, 2009
Effective: January 1, 2010
through May 30, 2010
Hearing Date:
February 12, 2010
(See the Notice in this Register)
Health Services
Exemption From Finding of Emergency
The legislature by
2009 Wis. Act 28, Section
9122 (2), provides an exemption from a finding of emergency to adopt these emergency rules.
Publication Date:
December 16, 2009
Effective: December 16, 2009 through
September 11, 2010
(corrected)
Hearing Date:
February 3, 2010
Health Services
emergency_rules EmR0928
EmR0928 — Rule adopted to revise
Chapter DHS 163, relating to requirements for conducting lead-safe renovation activities in pre-1978 housing and child-occupied facilities, and affecting small businesses.
Finding of Emergency
The Department of Health Services (department) finds that an emergency exists and that the adoption of an emergency rule is necessary for the continuity of regulations relating to lead hazard exposure in Wisconsin. The facts constituting the emergency are as follows:
Under ch.
DHS 163, the department, as Wisconsin's public health agency, regulates lead hazard reduction and lead management activities in pre-1978 housing (target housing) and child-occupied facilities. The rules include standards for certification of individuals and companies conducting these activities, accreditation of lead training courses and approval of instructors, and work practices. In addition to the department's authority under chs.
250 and
254, Stats., to regulate lead hazards, the department has authorization from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate lead hazard reduction and management activities in lieu of the EPA administering federal regulations in Wisconsin.
On April 22, 2008, the EPA issued rules under
40 CFR 745 to
establish requirements for training renovators, other renovation workers, and dust sampling technicians; for certifying renovators, dust sampling technicians, and renovation firms; for accrediting providers of renovation and dust sampling technician training; and for renovation work practices (and associated recordkeeping requirements) that disturb paint in target housing and child-occupied facilities.
Under the EPA regulations, beginning on April 22, 2010, persons who perform renovation activities for compensation, including repair and painting activities, that disturb paint in target housing and child-occupied facilities must be certified, properly trained, and follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination. The EPA will begin accepting applications for certification from individuals and companies on October 22, 2009.
States that promulgate rules that conform to the EPA standards on or before October 22, 2009, may accept applications for certification in lieu of the EPA. Otherwise, on October 22, 2009, the EPA will begin accepting these applications and the associated fees from Wisconsin companies and individuals. Such an occurrence may cause confusion among the regulated community and property owners, and would impede the department's ability to continue to administer a viable lead hazard reduction program if covered persons begin complying with the EPA certification requirements before state requirements are implemented. Promulgating rules before October 22, 2009, will help to avoid any unnecessary complexity for covered persons that may be caused by overlapping state and federal regulations that address lead-based paint hazards in target housing and child-occupied facilities.
Publication Date:
October 16, 2009
Effective: October 19, 2009
through March 17, 2010
Hearing Date:
November 18, 2009
Insurance (6)
emergency_rules EmR0918
1.
EmR0918 — Rule adopted to revise
Chapter Ins 6, relating to exempting commercial umbrella and commercial liability policies covering only hired and non-owned autos from having to offer or include uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.
Finding of Emergency
The Commissioner of Insurance finds that an emergency exists and that an emergency rule is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or welfare. Facts constituting the emergency are as follows:
Act 28 (2009) modified the requirements for auto insurance in Wisconsin. Most of these new provisions go into effect on November 1, 2009. These modifications did not specifically address the issue of insurers who write commercial liability insurance and commercial umbrella policies which insure only hired and non-owned automobiles (“HNO") under the policy but do not insure any automobiles owned by the insured.
If these new Act 28 requirements apply to commercial liability insurance and commercial umbrella policies which insure only hired and non-owned automobiles (“HNO") under the policy, this creates a significant problem. Some of these insurers do not have authority to write auto insurance which is needed to write uninsured (“UM") and underinsured coverage (“UIM"). Other insurers offering the commercial umbrella and commercial liability HNO have not ever written UM/UIM coverages because the current rules exempt them. Insurers have also stated that obtaining reinsurance for this is a problem.
This issue was addressed in 1997 when an emergency rule was promulgated and modifications to Ins 6.77 were enacted in response to various court cases. In that process, commercial insurers who wrote liability policies that covered only HNO were exempted from the requirement to offer or include UM/UIM coverage. This emergency rule would continue this exemption so that the market for commercial liability insurance and commercial umbrella policies is not disrupted.
Publication Date:
September 9, 2009
Effective: November 1, 2009 through
March 30, 2010
Hearing Date:
December 8, 2009
Exemption From Finding of Emergency
The Commissioner of Insurance pursuant to s.
632.895 (12m) (f) 2., Stats., need not find that an emergency exists nor provide evidence that promulgating a rule is necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health, safety or welfare.
Specifically, s.
632.895 (12m) (f), Wis. Stats., requires the commissioner to define “intensive-level services," “nonintensive-level services," “paraprofessional," and “qualified" for purposes of providing services under this subsection. The statute further authorizes that the commissioner may promulgate rules governing the interpretation or administration of this subsection.
Publication Date:
September 26, 2009
Effective: September 26, 2009
through February 22, 2010
Hearing Date:
December 2, 2009
Exemption From Finding of Emergency
(4)
Continuation coverage rules. (a) Notwithstanding section
632.897 of the statutes and subsections (1), (2), and (3), the commissioner of insurance may promulgate rules establishing standards requiring insurers to provide continuation of coverage for any individual covered at any time under a group policy who is a state eligible individual to whom subsection (2) or (3) applies or an assistance eligible individual, as defined under section 3001 (a) (3) of the federal act, including rules governing election or extension of election periods, notice, rates, premiums, premium payment, application of preexisting condition exclusions, and election of alternative coverage.
(b) The commissioner may promulgate the rules under paragraph (a) as emergency rules under section
227.24 of the statutes. Notwithstanding section
227.24 (1) (c) of the statutes, emergency rules promulgated under this paragraph may remain in effect for one year and may be extended under section
227.24 (2) of the statutes. Notwithstanding section
227.24 (1) (a) and
(3) of the statutes,
the commissioner is not required to provide evidence that promulgating a rule under this paragraph as an emergency rule is necessary for the preservation of public peace, health, safety, or welfare and is not required to provide a finding of emergency for a rule promulgated under this paragraph. [Emphasis Added]
