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, Cowles, Darling, Decker, Ellis, Erpenbach, Farrow, S. Fitzgerald, George, Grobschmidt, Hansen, Harsdorf, Huelsman, Jauch, A. Lasee, Lazich, M. Meyer, Moore, Panzer, Plache, Risser, Robson, Roessler, Rosenzweig, Shibilski, Welch, Wirch and Zien - 31.
Absent - Senators Moen and Schultz - 2.
The Senate stood for a moment of silent meditation.
The Senate remained standing and Senator Burke led the Senate in the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.
__________________
Senator Chvala, with unanimous consent, asked that Senator Moen be granted a leave of absence for today's session.
Senator Panzer, with unanimous consent, asked that Senator Schultz be granted a leave of absence for today's session.
__________________
Read and referred:
Senate Joint Resolution 25
Relating to: the life and public service of Blair L. Testin.
By
Senators
Wirch, Grobschmidt, Risser, Ellis, Burke, Breske, Cowles, Darling, Decker, Erpenbach, Farrow, Huelsman, Lazich, Moen, Plache and Roessler; cosponsored by Representatives Vrakas, Black, Ladwig, Plale, Albers, Berceau, Bock, Boyle, Coggs, Freese, Gronemus, Gunderson, Hahn, Huber, Jensen, Jeskewitz, Krawczyk, Lassa, J. Lehman, Lippert, Loeffelholz, D. Meyer, Miller, Montgomery, Musser, Olsen, Ott, Owens, Plouff, Ryba, Schneider, Shilling, Townsend, Travis, Turner, Wade and Wood.
To committee on Senate Organization.
Senate Joint Resolution 26
Relating to: proclaiming April as Child Abuse Prevention Month.
By
Senators
Roessler, Baumgart, Burke, Decker, Grobschmidt, A. Lasee, Plache, Risser, Rosenzweig, Erpenbach and Cowles; cosponsored by Representatives Krug, Kestell, Lassa, Berceau, Bies, Bock, Coggs, Friske, Hahn, Hebl, Jeskewitz, Krawczyk, Kreuser, Ladwig, La Fave, J. Lehman, Lippert, McCormick, D. Meyer, Miller, Musser, Olsen, Owens, Pettis, Plouff, Pocan, Rhoades, Sinicki, Starzyk, Staskunas, Suder, Underheim, Urban, Wade, Wasserman and Young.
To committee on Senate Organization.
Senate Joint Resolution 27
Relating to: proclaiming the month of May as "Community Action Month" in the state of Wisconsin.
By
Senators
Wirch, Roessler, Burke, Shibilski, Schultz, Moen, Rosenzweig, Erpenbach, Risser, Hansen, Decker, Baumgart, Darling, A. Lasee and Chvala; cosponsored by Representatives Olsen, Krug, Ladwig, Shilling, Krawczyk, Turner, Miller, Wade, Gronemus, Bock, Ryba, Loeffelholz, Albers, Sherman, Coggs, Musser, Jeskewitz, Johnsrud, Owens, Plouff, Reynolds, Lippert, Rhoades, Townsend, Huber, Vrakas, Ott, Lassa, Kreuser, Friske, Gunderson, Underheim, Freese, J. Lehman, Berceau, Riley, Sykora and Hubler.
To committee on Senate Organization.
__________________
Senator Robson, with unanimous consent, asked that the Senate recess until 11:58 A.M..
10:12 A.M.
__________________
11:58 A.M.
The Senate reconvened.
Senator Risser in the chair.
__________________
Read first time and referred:
Senate Bill 73
Relating to: eliminating school district revenue limits and making an appropriation.
By
Senator
Risser
; cosponsored by Representatives Boyle, J. Lehman, Young, Reynolds, Turner, Black, Pocan, Ryba, Coggs, Miller, Berceau and Balow.
To committee on Education.
Senate Bill 74
Relating to: excusing persons from jury service.
By
Senators
Risser and Schultz; cosponsored by Representatives Carpenter, J. Lehman, Ryba, Pettis, Staskunas and Albers.
To committee on Judiciary, Consumer Affairs, and Campaign Finance Reform.
Relating to: fees charged by notary publics.
By
Senators
Risser, Schultz and Huelsman; cosponsored by Representatives Musser, Ryba and Pettis.
To committee on Universities, Housing, and Government Operations.
Senate Bill 76
Relating to: an income and franchise tax credit for small businesses that pay a guarantee fee.
By
Senators
Moore, Robson, Burke, Roessler, George, Schultz, Darling and Rosenzweig; cosponsored by Representatives Seratti, Pocan, Turner, Morris-Tatum, Miller, Schooff, Plale, Townsend, Berceau, Lassa, Riley and Leibham.
To committee on Universities, Housing, and Government Operations.
__________________
The committee on Labor and Agriculture reports and recommends:
Assembly Bill 7
Relating to: storage and handling of anhydrous ammonia, creating an exemption from civil liability, and providing a penalty.
Concurrence.
Ayes, 5 - Senators
Hansen, Decker, Baumgart, A. Lasee and Harsdorf.
Noes, 0 - None.
Drew
, William R.,
of Milwaukee, as a member of the State Fair Park Board, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2004.
Confirmation.
Ayes, 5 - Senators
Hansen, Decker, Baumgart, A. Lasee and Harsdorf.
Noes, 0 - None.
McKeithan, Patricia B.,
of Milwaukee, as a member of the State Fair Park Board, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2005.
Confirmation.
Ayes, 5 - Senators
Hansen, Decker, Baumgart, A. Lasee and Harsdorf.
Noes, 0 - None.
Wilson
, R. Douglas,
of Shawano, as a member of the State Fair Park Board, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2003.
Confirmation.
Ayes, 5 - Senators
Hansen, Decker, Baumgart, A. Lasee and Harsdorf.
Noes, 0 - None.
Senate Bill 48
Relating to: creating an optional holiday for state employees to observe the birthday of Cesar E. Chavez.
Passage.
Ayes, 3 - Senators
Hansen, Decker and Baumgart.
Noes, 2 - Senators
A. Lasee and Harsdorf.
David Hansen
Chairperson
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Department of Workforce Development
February 27, 2001
The Honorable, The Senate:
Pursuant to Section
109.12(2) and
(3) of Wisconsin Statutes I hereby submit the department's calendar year 2000 annual report on the administration and enforcement of Sections
109.07 and
109.075 of Wisconsin Statutes. The report contains three sections. The first section lists all businesses in 2000 that notified the department of planned business closings/mass layoffs, the location of the business, type of industry involved, number of persons affected and date(s) of scheduled dislocations. The second section lists complaints pending before the department's Equal rights Division, at the beginning of 2000. It includes the complaints received during calendar year 2000, alleging violations of Wisconsin's business closing/mass layoff notification law. This section lists the name of the business, location, date the department received the complaint, date the investigation was completed (if any), whether a violation was documented and the current stats and/or outcome of the case.
The third section lists similar information for any complaints received by the department in 2000 and 2001, alleging violations that an employer failed to provide advance notification to affected employees of a cessation of health insurance benefit plans. No complaints were received in 2000 and so far one complaint has been received in 2001. The department is actively investigating this complaint at the time of this report.
On January 1, 2000, 12 business closing cases from prior years remained pending. Two of these cases remained in investigation. The Department completed both of the investigations by March 6, 2000. Both of those determinations were appealed. By May 16, 2000, the department processed both of those appeals as well as two more appeals that were still pending on January 1, 2000. Currently the Department of Justice has eight cases pending litigation to resolve those matters. The remaining four cases were closed with no violations having been found.
