Thursday, July 29, 1999
10:00 A.M.
Ninety-Fourth Regular Session
The Senate met.
The Senate was called to order by Senator Fred Risser.
The Chair, with unanimous consent, asked that the proper entries be made in the journal.
__________________
Read and referred:
Senate Joint Resolution 21
Relating to: increasing public awareness and attention to chronic fatigue syndrome as a serious and complex illness that affects many Wisconsin citizens.
By
Senators
Robson, Chvala, Clausing, Darling, Panzer and Roessler; cosponsored by Representatives Schooff, Black, Bock, Boyle, Hebl, La Fave, Plouff, Pocan, Staskunas, Turner and Ward, by request of WI Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Assoc., Inc..
To committee on Human Services and Aging.
__________________
Read first time and referred:
Senate Bill 214
Relating to: notice to a victim of the right to make a statement at sentencing or disposition.
By
Senator
Burke
; cosponsored by Representative Huber
.
To committee on Judiciary and Consumer Affairs.
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
July 28, 1999
The Honorable, The Legislature:
In response to recent legislative inquires, we have reviewed the administration and funding of the State's railroad crossing safety program. We had previously reviewed the railroad crossing safety program and reported our results in a January 29, 1996 letter report. We have updated selected information from that report and reviewed the State's use of federal funds for railroad crossing safety.
As of July 1999, Wisconsin has 7,999 railroad crossings. However, the State's primary safety concern is the 4,406 crossings that intersect with public roads at grade level. Responsibility for safety at crossings is shared by the Office of the Commissioner of Railroads and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Both identify safety projects and fund them, but only the Commissioner has the authority to order safety improvements.
Although the number of accidents involving motor vehicles at railroad crossings has decreased from 165 in 1994 to 88 in 1998, safety concerns continue to be raised, in part because a number of safety projects that have been ordered for completion by the Commissioner of Railroads have not yet been funded. One list of pending projects maintained by the Office includes 165 warning device projects, with an estimated cost of $14.0 million to complete, that will use all of the federal funding expected to be available to the Office through September 30, 2005. The other list includes 29 projects, with an estimated cost of $2.4 million. The Commissioner has not yet determined when these projects will be funded.
On its own initiative, the Department also identifies railroad crossing safety projects for the federal funds it controls. In fiscal year 1998-99, the Department received federal approval to obligate $6.0 million from federal railroad crossing safety funds for two large bridge projects. While these projects qualify for federal railroad crossing safety funding, they will make less funding available for more common railroad crossing safety projects, such as installing lights or gates at crossings.
The interplay between the federal and state appropriation process is complex, and some flexibility is needed to ensure the State receives the maximum amount of federal funding available. However, if the Legislature is concerned about the current project-selection process, it may wish to play a more active role in determining the use of federal funding for the railroad crossing safety program. To do this, it will need more complete information on the funding available and the Department's plans to use that funding.
Enclosed is a more complete discussion of our finding s with regard to the railroad crossing safety program. We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by staff of the Department of Transportation and the Office of the Commissioner of Railroads.
Sincerely,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
State of Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources
July 15, 1999
The Honorable, The Legislature:
As directed by the Legislature in Section
9137 of
1997 Wisconsin Act 25, I am submitting on behalf of the Department of Natural Resources proposed legislation to encourage the practice of sustainable forestry.
S223
Enclosed is a proposal that was developed by the Department in collaboration with a wide array of individuals and groups with an interest in Wisconsin's forests. I am pleased to say that there is widespread agreement that it is in the public interest to keep forestland as forestland. The Natural Resource Board approved this proposal at their most recent meeting.
This process has already afforded us a valuable opportunity to work with many of our partners and customers to begin to address the tensions that exist between issues such as resource management, resource protection, private rights and local ordinances and zoning. We look forward to working with the Legislature and our other partners as this proposal moves forward.
Sincerely,
George E. Meyer
Secretary
State of Wisconsin
Department of Health and Family Services
July 23, 1999
The Honorable, The Senate:
Pursuant to Section
50.04(5)(fr), Wis. Stats., effective June 17, 1998, the Department is required to submit an annual report to the Legislature related to Class A violations committed by nursing homes and forfeitures assessed on nursing homes for those violations.
1997 Act 237 made a number of revisions to statutes governing the operations of nursing homes, including the maximum forfeiture amounts that the Department may assess against homes for violations. The Department has issued 9 Class A violations to nursing homes (including facilities for the developmentally disabled) in the time period June 17, 1998 through May 31, 1999.
The attached chart details the Class A violations issued in this reporting period, the amount of forfeiture assessed for each violation, and if known, the amount of the forfeiture paid and collected. There were no assessments for Class A violations that were less than $2,500.
Sincerely,
joe leean
Secretary
State of Wisconsin
Department of Regulation and Licensing
