State of Wisconsin
Senate Michael G. Ellis
February 1, 1995
The Honorable, The Senate:
Pursuant to Senate Resolution 3, I have made the following appointments to the Senate Special Committee on State and Federal Relations: Senators Ellis, Chair, Rosenzweig, Darling, Panzer, Jauch, Vice-Chair, Risser and Moore.
Sincerely,
Michael G. Ellis
Chair
State of Wisconsin
Senator Joseph Andrea
February 1, 1995
The Honorable, The Senate:
The purpose of this letter is to notify you that I am officially resigning from the Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules, effective immediately.
Sincerely,
Joseph Andrea
State Senator
State of Wisconsin
Department of Administration
December 31, 1994
The Honorable, The Legislature:
I am pleased to submit our Annual Minority Business Report for fiscal year 1994. This year's report reflects a new record and increased commitment by state agencies.
State agencies spent $32,427,983 with firms designated as minority businesses.
The Department of Development has continued to expand the number of businesses certified as minority firms. A total of 640 firms have now been certified, an increase of 86 from the 1992-93 fiscal year.
Thirty-three state and quasi-state purchasing offices have awarded at least 5% or more of their purchasing dollars to certified minority businesses.
Not counting firms interested only in financial investments, 43% of the certified minority businesses received contracts for various commodities and services during fiscal year 1993-94.
I am pleased that we have again exceeded the goal for architectural and engineering services by awarding 10.9% of the contracts in this category to minority firms. The Wisconsin Fund Point Source Program through its funding of water pollution abatement projects for the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District expended 19.5% of grant dollars to minority firms.
The State of Wisconsin Investment Board expended 6% of its funds to minority firms.
A total of $11,776,289 was deposited in minority-owned banks by various state and quasi-state agencies.
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The Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority placed 5% of its discretionary purchases with minority firms.
The Department of Administration's Capital Finance Office sold 17% of all state bonds (general obligations, revenue bonds, and operating notes) to certified minority underwriters.
These are but a few of the highlights of the past year. While proud of this progress, we still have room for improvement and our goal remains 5%. We will continue to work toward this goal building on progress we have made. The attached report discusses in greater detail the efforts that are being made.
Sincerely,
james r. klauser
Secretary
State of Wisconsin
Department of Corrections
January 27, 1995
The Honorable, The Legislature:
The following information is provided for your review pursuant to s.
301.03 (6m), WI Stats. The figures below cover the period from January 1, 1994 to December 31, 1994.
1. There were 19 inmates transferred involuntarily from a prison to a mental health institute under 51.20 (13 (A) 4), with an average length of stay of 9 weeks. No inmates transferred voluntarily from a prison to a mental health institute.
2. 1899 inmates underwent voluntary treatment with psychotropic drugs. 20 inmates were treated with psychotropic drugs on an involuntary basis. The types of medication used include antipsychotic drugs, antidepressant drugs, antianxiety drugs, mood stabilizers, antiparkinson medications, and medications for side effects.
3. Mental Health Services, both psychiatric and psychological, are available at all of the major institutions. Services include chemotherapy, group and individual therapy, psychological, psychiatric, and neuropsychological evaluations, crisis intervention, sex offender groups, anger management groups, and domestic abuse groups. Inmates who need more intensive mental health services are transferred to the Special Management Unit at Columbia Correctional Institution, the Wisconsin Resource Center, or one of the Mental Health Institutes.
If you need any additional information, please let me know.
Sincerely,
Michael J. Sullivan
Secretary
Referred to joint committee on Finance.
State of Wisconsin
State Historical Society of Wisconsin
January 30, 1995
The Honorable, The Senate:
Please find enclosed a status report on submerged cultural resources management activities in Wisconsin for the period January 1993 through December 1994. This report is supplied to your office in compliance with Wisconsin statutes 44.47, for distribution to the appropriate standing committees.
If I can be of any other assistance, please do not hesitate to call me 608/264-6493.
Sincerely,
david j. cooper
State Underwater Archeologist
Referred to committee on Education.
State of Wisconsin
Department of Industry, Labor and Human Relations
January 31, 1995
The Honorable, The Senate:
Pursuant to Chapter
109 of Wisconsin Statutes, I am providing you with the annual report on business closings and/or mass layoffs. The Statute requires that this report is due no later than March 1 annually and that it include the number, type and disposition of all determinations made by the Department under ss.
109.07(5)(N)(6)(b).
The Department in 1994 received four complaints, of which two complaints were dismissed as no violation, one complaint was referred to the Attorney General, and one complaint is still pending.
Two 1992 complaints were carried forward on January 1, 1994. One was dismissed as no violation and one is still under appeal with our Department's legal counsel.
Six 1993 complaints were carried forward on January 1, 1994. Two were dismissed as no violation, one was withdrawn by the complainant, one was dismissed as no jurisdiction, an two were referred to the Attorney General.
Should you have any questions regarding the information in this report, please contact me immediately.
Sincerely,
carol skornicka
Secretary
State of Wisconsin
Department of Veterans Affairs
January 31, 1995
The Honorable, The Legislature:
1993 Act 254 requires the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs to conduct two studies:
1. A study of the current state programs for veterans and of the use of the federal definition of "veteran" for determining eligibility for all veterans programs under ch.
45 of the statutes. The study shall include:
a. The eligibility criteria, income limits, usage and purposes of each program and whether each program should be continued, with or without modification.
b. A review of both of those categories of persons who would be made eligible for Wisconsin veterans programs through the adoption of the federal definition of "veteran" and those who are currently eligible, but may become ineligible if the federal definition is adopted.
c. The desirability of using the federal definition of "veteran" as is applies to each program.
d. The fiscal effects on each program of any changes recommended under this paragraph and of the adoption of the federal definition of "veteran".
2. A study of the Health Care Aid Grant program, including a review of, and development of recommendations for, improving coverage and delivery of health care aid under the program.
The department is pleased to submit its report on these studies. Because the issues contained in the study of the Health Care Aid Grant were part and parcel of the larger study of the current state programs for veterans, the department has combined the results of the studies into one report.
Some of the recommendations in this report have little or no fiscal impact and should be considered for implementation as soon as possible. Others have a significant fiscal impact and will require that department resources be increased or reallocated. As we have for the past several years, the department will continue to look for ways to provide needed benefits to Wisconsin's veterans in a fiscally responsible manner.
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I am confident that the information and recommendations provided will be useful to policy makers and will allow Wisconsin to remain in the forefront of providing assistance and benefits to its citizens who have served their country in the armed forces.
Sincerely,
raymond g. boland
Secretary
State of Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources
February 1, 1995
