Tuesday, November 2, 1999
10:00 A.M.
Ninety-Fourth Regular Session
The Senate met.
The Senate was called to order by Senator Fred Risser.
The roll was called and the following Senators answered to their names:
Senators Baumgart, Breske, Burke, Chvala, Clausing, Cowles, Darling, Decker, Drzewiecki, Ellis, Erpenbach, Farrow, Fitzgerald, George, Grobschmidt, Huelsman, Jauch, A. Lasee, Lazich, Moen, Moore, Panzer, Plache, Risser, Robson, Roessler, Rosenzweig, Rude, Schultz, Shibilski, Welch, Wirch and Zien - 33.
Absent - None.
Absent with leave - None.
The Senate stood for a moment of silent meditation.
The Senate remained standing and Senator Decker led the Senate in the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.
__________________
Read first time and referred:
Senate Bill 271
Relating to: changing the definition of noxious weeds.
By
Senator
Darling
; cosponsored by Representative La Fave.
To committee on Economic Development, Housing and Government Operations.
Senate Bill 272
Relating to: requiring school boards that provide instruction in human sexuality and related subjects to provide instruction in marriage and parental responsibility.
By
Senators
Welch, Fitzgerald, Darling, Huelsman, Roessler and Rosenzweig; cosponsored by Representatives Owens, Ladwig, Ainsworth and Gunderson.
To committee on Education.
Senate Bill 273
Relating to: prohibiting the denial, revocation, suspension, withholding or restriction of approvals issued under chapter 29 of the statutes based on the failure of the approval applicants or approval holders to provide social security numbers.
By
Senators
Welch, Drzewiecki, Darling, Breske, Roessler, Ellis, Huelsman and A. Lasee; cosponsored by Representatives Gundrum, Musser, Kaufert, Hundertmark, M. Lehman, Owens, F. Lasee, Ziegelbauer, Underheim, Hoven, Gunderson, Hasenohrl, Ryba, Meyer, Goetsch, Reynolds, Plouff and Leibham.
To committee on Agriculture, Environmental Resources and Campaign Finance Reform.
Senate Bill 274
Relating to: credit union membership, powers and operation; the application of agriculture, trade and consumer protection statutes to credit unions and providing a penalty.
By
Senators
Erpenbach, Moen, Grobschmidt, Plache, Baumgart, George, A. Lasee, Risser, Decker, Robson and Zien; cosponsored by Representatives F. Lasee, Young, Carpenter, Ryba, Colon, Huber, Kreibich, Sykora, Pocan, Boyle, Plale, Reynolds, Sinicki, Hasenohrl, Black, Ainsworth, Staskunas, Hebl, Goetsch, Gronemus, Waukau, Travis, Townsend, Meyerhofer, Plouff, Balow, J. Lehman, Musser, Ziegelbauer, Albers, Schneider and Pettis.
To committee on Privacy, Electronic Commerce and Financial Institutions.
Senate Bill 275
Relating to: creating a tax rebate for individuals, repealing the school property tax rent credit, reducing the amount that is available under the school levy tax credit and making an appropriation.
By
Senators
Farrow, Ellis, Rude and Drzewiecki.
To joint committee on Finance.
Senate Bill 276
Relating to: exempting from taxation a tax rebate for individuals.
By
Senators
Farrow, Ellis, Rude and Drzewiecki.
To joint survey committee on Tax Exemptions.
__________________
The committee on Labor reports and recommends:
Senate Bill 255
Relating to: various changes in the unemployment insurance law, granting rule-making authority, making appropriations and providing penalties.
Passage.
Ayes, 5 - Senators
Baumgart, Decker, Breske, Zien and Farrow.
Noes, 0 - None.
Jim Baumgart
Chairperson
State of Wisconsin
Department of Administration
October 22, 1999
The Honorable, The Legislature:
This report is transmitted as required by sec. 20.002(11)(f) of the Wisconsin Statutes, (for distribution to the appropriate standing committees under sec. 13.172(3) Stats.), and confirms that the Department of Administration has found it necessary to exercise the "temporary reallocation of balances" authority provided by this section in order to meet payment responsibilities and cover resulting negative balances during the month of September 1999.
On September 21, 1999 the Wisconsin Health Education Loan Repayment Fund balance was -$1 thousand. This shortfall increased to -$2 thousand on September 29, 1999 and continued into the month of October. As of the date of this letter, it is expected to be resolved before the end of November. This shortfall is due to the timing of revenues.
On September 3, 1999 the Support Collection Trust Fund balance was -$39 thousand. This shortfall continued until September 7, 1999 when the balance reached $246 thousand. On September 17, 1999 the balance was -$1.15 million. This shortfall continued until September 20, 1999 when the balance reached $1.67 million. These shortfalls were due to delays in the processing of daily receipts.
The Wisconsin Health Education Loan Repayment Fund and the Support Collection Trust Fund shortfalls were not in excess of the statutory interfund borrowing limitation and did not exceed the balances of the Funds available for interfund borrowing.
The distribution of interest earnings to investment pool participants is based on the average daily balance in the pool and each fund's share. Therefore, the monthly calculation by the State Controller's Office will automatically reflect the use of these temporary reallocations of balance authority.
Sincerely,
George Lightborn
Acting Secretary
Referred to the joint committee on Finance.
State of Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources
Department of Administration
November 1, 1999
The Honorable, The Senate:
Enclosed is the Environmental Improvement fund Biennial Finance Plan for the 1999-2001 biennium.
The Environmental Improvement Fund program legislation (s.
281.59(3), Wis. Stats.) requires the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Administration to submit a final version of the Biennial Finance Plan to the Legislature and to the State Building Commission following enactment of the biennial budget. The purpose of the plan is to provide information on loan, loan subsidy, and bonding levels for program operations in the 1999-2001 biennium.
Also included is a copy of the Environmental Improvement Fund Biennial Report for the 1997-1999 biennium. The report provides information on the activities and operations of the program during the previous biennium. This report is also submitted in accordance with s.
281.59(3), Wis. Stats.
If you have any questions regarding the Biennial Finance Plan or the Biennial Report, please contact Kathryn A. Curtner at 266-0860 or Frank Hoadley at 266-2305.
Sincerely,
Kathryn A. Curtner, Director
Bureau of Community Financial Assistance
Department of Natural Resources
Frank R. Hoadley
Capital Finance Director
Department of Administration
State of Wisconsin
Department of Health and Family Services
October 22, 1999
The Honorable, The Senate:
Section
46.972(4) of the statutes requires the Department of Health and Family Services to submit to the Legislature a report each year on the allocation and expenditure of funds for services for homeless individuals with severe and persistent mental illness. Attached is the report for Calendar Year 1998.
Department staff is available to answer any questions.