Referred on October 2, 1996
.
Relating to purchases of service under the Wisconsin retirement system, including forfeited, qualifying and other governmental service.
Submitted by Department of Employe Trust Funds.
Report received from Agency, September 25, 1996.
To committee on Government Operations
.
Referred on October 2, 1996
.
__________________
Communications
State of Wisconsin
Revisor of Statutes Bureau
Madison
October 1, 1996
Charles R. Sanders
Assembly Chief Clerk
Donna Doyle
Senate Chief Clerk's Office
The following rules have been published:
Sincerely,
Gary L. Poulson
Deputy Revisor
__________________
Referral of Agency Reports
State of Wisconsin
Wisconsin Gaming Board
Madison
September 30, 1996
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
RE: Wisconsin Gaming Commission Quarterly Report
A1208
Included with this correspondence, I am submitting the quarterly report of the Wisconsin Gaming Commission for the year ending June 1996. As required by s.
565.37(3), Wis. Stats., the attached materials contain Wisconsin Lottery sales and financial information, and pursuant to s.
562.02(1)(g), Wis. Stats., parimutual wagering and racing statistical information.
If you have any questions or comments regarding this report, please do not hesitate to contact me at (608) 266-1645.
Sincerely,
F. Scott Scepaniak
Executive Director
Referred to special committee on Gambling Oversight.
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources
Department of Administration
Madison
September 30, 1996
To the Honorable, the Assembly:
Attached to this letter is the Clean Water Fund Biennial Finance Plan for FY 1997-1999.
Clean Water Fund legislation requires the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Administration to submit a Biennial Finance Plan to the Legislature and to the State Building Commission by October 1 of each even-numbered year (Section
144.2415(3)(bm), Wisconsin Statutes). The purpose of the plan is to provide information on the present value subsidy and the operations and activities of the Clean Water Fund program for the 1997-1999 biennium.
If you have any questions regarding the Biennial Finance Plan, please contact Kathryn A. Curtner at 266-0860 or Frank Hoadley at 266-2305.
Sincerely,
Kathryn A. Curtner, Director
Office of Government Relations, DNR
FRANK R. HOADLEY, Director
Capital Finance, DOA
Referred to committee on Natural Resources.
__________________
Agency Reports
State of Wisconsin
Department of Health and Family Services
Madison
September 13, 1996
To the Honorable, the Assembly:
In accordance with sec. 1.11(2)(j) Wis. stats., the Department of Health and Family Services reports that it has not conducted any Environmental Impact Statements or Environmental Assessments during the reporting period July 1, 1995 through June 30, 1996.
The Department of Administration did not conduct an Environmental Assessment for purchase of the facility in Prairie du Chien for development as a Juvenile Corrections school in the Division of Youth Services, but it did not require continuation into an Environmental Impact Statement.
Sincerely,
JOE Leean
Secretary, DHFS
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
Madison
September 19, 1996
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
We have completed a review of state agency efforts to provide prevention programs to children, youth, and families, as directed by the Joint Legislative Audit Committee. These programs have been developed to address a wide variety of problems, including adolescent pregnancy, child abuse and neglect, crime and juvenile delinquency, domestic abuse, alcohol and other drug abuse, poor academic performance and school dropouts, and health problems. In fiscal year (FY) 1994-95, 13 state agencies administered the 88 prevention programs we identified, and program costs totaled $181.8 million.
We found significant overlap in the services provided to prevent various types of problems and in the populations to which these services are directed. While federal regulations have in some instances created barriers to the consolidation of program funds, the State has also created specific requirements that act as barriers to program consolidation.
Some attempts have been made to evaluate the effectiveness of prevention programs. Specifically, within the past ten years, efforts were made to evaluate the effectiveness of 31, or 35.2 percent, of the programs. However, additional efforts are needed if the Legislature and the public are to be assured that funds are dedicated only to programs that are likely to be effective in accomplishing their objectives. In addition, additional efforts to coordinate prevention activities could allow services to be provided more efficiently and effectively at both the state and the local level.
Although most programs could be consolidated within a single agency, more feasible strategies are likely to include consolidating funding for state programs that provide similar services; enhancing local prevention efforts through funding strategies that encourage development of local prevention initiatives and provide more flexibility in the use of state funds; and providing more effective information and technical assistance services, such as identifying effective models that local agencies may use in establishing their own programs.
A1209
Appendices to the report include descriptions of each of the prevention programs administered by state agencies. We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by the many state and local staff and representatives of community-based organizations who assisted us during the course of this evaluation. Responses from the Department of Health and Family Services and the Department of Public Instruction, the two agencies to whom we have directed recommendations, are Attachments VI and VII, respectively.
Respectfully submitted,
Dale Cattanach
State Auditor
__________________
State of Wisconsin
State Public Defender
Madison
September 19, 1996
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
This letter constitutes the report of the State Public Defender (SPD) evaluating the cost-effectiveness of the use of the 12 FTE two-year paralegal project positions provided for in the 1995-97 biennial budget (
1995 Wisconsin Act 27).
To assist in evaluating the cost-effectiveness of the positions, the agency has been soliciting feedback from the paralegals' supervisors on a monthly basis. As indicated in the SPD's Budget Forecasting Report, the agency's experience with the paralegals has yielded primarily positive results. The paralegals have enabled the agency to improve the quality of legal service provided and have demonstrated the potential for increasing the volume of cases handled.
However, the ability of the paralegals to facilitate an increased caseload is limited by licensing restrictions on tasks that they may perform. For example, paralegals may not represent clients in court proceedings, even for routine or uncontested hearings. Because the vast majority of an assistant state public defender's work time is spent in court, a paralegal's work is unable to equate 100% of the statutory attorney caseload.
