Relating to: prohibiting certain insurance practices on the basis of domestic abuse, providing written reasons for coverage denial and prohibiting collective bargaining by the state with respect to the prohibitions.
By
Senators
Burke, Clausing, Cowles, Darling, Erpenbach, Grobschmidt, Moore, Plache, Robson, Roessler, Rosenzweig, Rude and Wirch; cosponsored by Representatives Cullen, Wasserman, Balow, Berceau, Bock, Boyle, Carpenter, Kelso, J. Lehman, Miller, Musser, Pocan, Richards, Schneider, Travis, Turner, Young and Ziegelbauer.
To committee on Insurance, Tourism, Transportation and Corrections.
Senate Bill 370
Relating to: creating an individual income tax deduction for classroom teachers who use their own funds to purchase classroom educational supplies.
By
Senators
Plache and Roessler; cosponsored by Representatives Wieckert, J. Lehman, Turner, Ladwig, Stone, Handrick, Musser, Klusman, Suder, Walker, M. Lehman, Pettis, Kaufert and Sykora.
To joint survey committee on Tax Exemptions.
Senate Bill 371
Relating to: regulation of historic buildings, the historic building code, requiring a liberal interpretation of local regulations applicable to historic buildings and structures and making appropriations.
By
Joint Legislative Council.
To committee on Economic Development, Housing and Government Operations.
Relating to: creating an administrative rules task force and making an appropriation.
By
Senators
Welch, Darling and Schultz; cosponsored by Representatives Grothman, Suder, Albers, Spillner, Sykora, Jeskewitz, Seratti and Musser.
To committee on Economic Development, Housing and Government Operations.
Senate Bill 373
Relating to: allowing a change in the ownership of a municipal theater that is currently owned by a 1st class city.
By
Senators
Burke, Grobschmidt, Moore, Farrow, Rosenzweig, Darling and Roessler; cosponsored by Representatives Jensen, Bock, Colon, Richards, Albers, Riley, Freese and Underheim.
To committee on Economic Development, Housing and Government Operations.
Senate Bill 374
Relating to: requiring the department of public instruction to study funding options for Science World.
By
Senators
Burke, Darling, Erpenbach, Fitzgerald, Grobschmidt, Jauch, Plache, Risser, Rosenzweig, Shibilski and Welch; cosponsored by Representatives Black, Albers, Berceau, Hundertmark, Johnsrud, Kaufert, Klusman, La Fave, Miller, Musser, Olsen, Reynolds, Turner, Walker and Wasserman.
To committee on Education.
Senate Bill 375
Relating to: certain electronic mail solicitations, representations and chain letters, collection of certain information from visitors to Internet Web sites, a sales tax and use tax exemption for providing access to, or use of, the Internet and providing a penalty.
By
Senator
Darling
, by request of Lieutenant Governor Scott McCallum.
To joint survey committee on Tax Exemptions.
Senate Bill 376
Relating to: restoring the school property tax rent credit.
By
Senators
Lazich, Drzewiecki, Farrow, Roessler, Darling, Rude, Rosenzweig, Welch, Fitzgerald, Panzer, A. Lasee, Zien and Huelsman; cosponsored by Representatives Jensen, Nass, Walker, Gunderson, Stone, Plale, Kelso, Ainsworth, Hoven, Urban, Hahn, Grothman, Ladwig, Leibham, Musser, Johnsrud, Goetsch, Sykora, Pettis, Ziegelbauer, Ryba, Kreuser, Steinbrink, Hasenohrl, Miller, La Fave and Boyle.
To committee on Economic Development, Housing and Government Operations.
__________________
The committee on Agriculture, Environmental Resources and Campaign Finance Reform reports and recommends:
Assembly Bill 210
Relating to: the period of time during which sturgeon spearing licenses may not be issued.
Concurrence.
Ayes, 5 - Senators
Clausing, Baumgart, Wirch, Schultz and A. Lasee.
Noes, 0 - None.
Senate Bill 177
Relating to: mercury emissions from certain sources, reporting mercury emissions, mercury in medical waste sent to incinerators, fish advisories, granting rule-making authority, making an appropriation and providing a penalty.
Introduction and adoption of Senate amendment 1 to Senate substitute amendment 1.
Ayes, 4 - Senators
Clausing, Baumgart, Wirch and Schultz.
Noes, 1 - Senator
A. Lasee.
Senate substitute amendment 1 adoption.
Ayes, 4 - Senators
Clausing, Baumgart, Wirch and Schultz.
Noes, 1 - Senator
A. Lasee.
Passage as amended.
Ayes, 4 - Senators
Clausing, Baumgart, Wirch and Schultz.
Noes, 1 - Senator
A. Lasee.
Senate Bill 287
Relating to: registration of reductions in certain air emissions and granting rule-making authority.
Introduction and adoption of Senate amendment 1.
Ayes, 5 - Senators
Clausing, Baumgart, Wirch, Schultz and A. Lasee.
Noes, 0 - None.
Passage as amended.
Ayes, 5 - Senators
Clausing, Baumgart, Wirch, Schultz and A. Lasee.
Noes, 0 - None.
Alice Clausing
Chairperson
The committee on Finance reports and recommends:
Senate Bill 357
S424
Relating to: an agreement between the state and tobacco product manufacturers; classification and elements of felony offenses and certain misdemeanor offenses; modification of a bifurcated sentence in certain cases; revocation of extended supervision; the creation of a sentencing commission and temporary sentencing guidelines; legislative procedure for criminal penalties bills; assistant district attorney positions for certain counties; releasing information from the sex offender registry to school district administrators and parents, guardians and legal custodians of children; achievement guarantee contracts; authorizing digital television conversion projects; funding for gaming law enforcement operations, general program operations of the state lottery, lottery retailer compensation, lottery vendor fees, the farmland tax relief credit, costs of administration, administration of the lottery and gaming credit; prescription drug assistance for elderly persons; funding for the badger care health care program; funding for food pantries; requiring insurance coverage of certain immunizations for children; creating an office of public intervenor in the department of justice; bonding authority under the Warren Knowles-Gaylord Nelson stewardship 2000 program; shared revenue payments to counties and municipalities, circuit court support payments, financial assistance for local recycling programs, community aids, youth aids; transferring certain consumer protection functions performed by the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection to the department of justice; the composition of the board of agriculture, trade and consumer protection; distribution of national forest income payments from the federal government; restoring the school property tax rent credit; granting bonding authority; granting rule-making authority; making appropriations; and providing penalties.
Introduction and adoption of Senate amendment 1.
Ayes, 5 - Senators
Burke, Decker, Moore, Shibilski and Plache.
Noes, 3 - Senators
Jauch, Cowles and Darling.
Passage as amended.
Ayes, 6 - Senators
Burke, Decker, Jauch, Moore, Shibilski and Plache.
Noes, 2 - Senators
Cowles and Darling.
Brian Burke
Senate Chairperson
__________________
State of Wisconsin
February 7, 2000
The Honorable, The Senate:
Pursuant to Senate rule
20, I have appointed Senator Alberta Darling to the Joint Committee on Finance.
Sincerely,
Chuck Chvala
Chair, Committee on Senate Organization
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
February 2, 2000
The Honorable, The Legislature:
We have completed an evaluation of the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program, as required by s.
119.23(9), Wis. Stats. this program provides publicly funded private school tuition for low-income children in Milwaukee and was established in 1990. After the Wisconsin Supreme Court affirmed the constitutionality of religious schools' participation in 1998, and the United States Supreme Court allowed that decision to stand, Choice enrollment increased significantly. In the 1999-2000 school year, approximately 8,000 pupils are enrolled in 91 private schools, which will receive an estimated $38.9 million in publicly funded tuition payments.
Some hopes for the program - most notably, that it would increase participating pupils' academic achievement - cannot be documented, largely because uniform testing is not required in participating schools. However, the program is serving low-income children and is serving a population whose ethnic composition is similar to that in Milwaukee Public Schools. Participating schools are located throughout the city and appear to be providing a variety of educational options. The application and admissions process has drawn criticism; we include alternatives to modify that process and to improve applicants' knowledge of program requirements.
Seventy-six of the 86 schools participating in the program in 1998-99 reported some form of independent quality review or performance measurement, such as accreditation by the Wisconsin Nonpublic School Accrediting Association or other organizations. All participating schools are required to meet statutory requirements intended to promote educational quality, such as a requirement to provide instruction in reading, language arts, mathematics, social studies, science, and health, and all schools have submitted information indicating compliance.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by the Department of Public Instruction, Milwaukee Public Schools, the participating private schools, and the families that responded to our survey concerning participation in the Choice program. The Department's response in Appendix VIII.
Sincerely,