Thursday, October 18, 2001
10:00 A.M.
Ninety-Fifth 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 48
Relating to: the life and public service of John Quentin Radcliffe.
By
Senator
Moen
; cosponsored by Representative Gronemus
.
To committee on Senate Organization.
__________________
Read first time and referred:
Senate Bill 284
Relating to: certified capital investment limitations, qualified business requirements, and reviews of certified capital company financial statements.
By
Senators
Moore, Plache, Burke, M. Meyer, Kanavas, Erpenbach, Hansen, Wirch, Darling, George, Shibilski, Breske, Roessler, Welch, Huelsman, Schultz and S. Fitzgerald; cosponsored by Representatives Ward, Lippert, Vrakas, Townsend, Hundertmark, Gronemus, Hahn, Sykora, Walker, Duff, Ladwig, Owens, D. Meyer, Krawczyk, Boyle, Olsen, M. Lehman, Miller, Staskunas, Plale, Gundrum, Ott, Balow, Colon, Starzyk, Seratti, Berceau, La Fave, Jensen, Turner, Young, Krug, Shilling, Wasserman, Williams, Freese, Suder, Kedzie, Kestell, Pettis, Richards, Huebsch, Jeskewitz, Musser and Riley.
To committee on Economic Development and Corrections.
Senate Bill 285
Relating to: prohibiting the sale of lottery tickets or shares and requiring a referendum.
By
Senators
Welch and Lazich; cosponsored by Representative Huebsch
.
To committee on Universities, Housing, and Government Operations.
Senate Bill 286
Relating to: creating an individual income tax exemption for pay received from the federal government by members of a reserve component of the armed forces participating in Operation Enduring Freedom.
By
Senators
Lazich, Breske, S. Fitzgerald, Grobschmidt, Hansen, Plache, Roessler, Schultz and Welch; cosponsored by Representatives Owens, Ainsworth, Albers, Boyle, Duff, Freese, J. Fitzgerald, Gronemus, Grothman, Gunderson, Gundrum, Hoven, Jeskewitz, Kestell, Krawczyk, Ladwig, La Fave, Lassa, Leibham, McCormick, Musser, Nass, Petrowski, Pettis, Ryba, Starzyk, Suder, Sykora and Turner.
To joint survey committee on Tax Exemptions.
__________________
The committee on Human Services and Aging reports and recommends:
Senate Bill 113
Relating to: the use of bicycle helmets and providing a penalty.
Passage.
Ayes, 4 - Senators
Robson, Moore, Wirch and Hansen.
Noes, 3 - Senators
Roessler, Welch and Kanavas.
Senate Bill 178
Relating to: administering drugs to pupils in compliance with instructions of practitioners.
Passage.
Ayes, 7 - Senators
Robson, Moore, Wirch, Hansen, Roessler, Welch and Kanavas.
Noes, 0 - None.
Judith Robson
Chairperson
The committee on Insurance, Tourism, and Transportation reports and recommends:
Senate Bill 242
Relating to: a certain highway improvement project on USH 51 in the city of Madison.
Passage.
Ayes, 5 - Senators
Breske, Grobschmidt, Baumgart, A. Lasee and Schultz.
Noes, 0 - None.
Senate Bill 275
Relating to: proposed actions regarding motor vehicle franchises.
Passage.
Ayes, 5 - Senators
Breske, Grobschmidt, Baumgart, A. Lasee and Schultz.
Noes, 0 - None.
Roger Breske
Chairperson
S411
The committee on
Labor and Agriculture reports and recommends:
Senate Bill 232
Relating to: authorizing the department of workforce development to order a person who discriminates in promotion, compensation, or in terms, conditions, or privileges of employment on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, or ancestry to pay compensatory and punitive damages and an assessment, directing the secretary of workforce development to appoint a committee to study wage disparities between men and women and between minority group members and nonminority group members, and making an appropriation.
Passage.
Ayes, 3 - Senators
Hansen, Decker and Baumgart.
Noes, 2 - Senators
A. Lasee and Harsdorf.
Senate Bill 276
Relating to: various changes in the unemployment insurance law, appointment of temporary reserve appeal tribunals, requiring the exercise of rule-making authority, and making an appropriation.
Passage.
Ayes, 5 - Senators
Hansen, Decker, Baumgart, A. Lasee and Harsdorf.
Noes, 0 - None.
David Hansen
Chairperson
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Department of Administration
October 15, 2001
The Honorable, The Legislature:
This report presents statements of fund condition and operations (budgetary basis) of the State of Wisconsin for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2001. This satisfies the requirements of sec. 16.40(3), Wisconsin Statutes. Displayed are major sources of revenues and major categories of expenditures for the General Fund and other funds compared to the prior year.
The General Fund has an undesignated balance of $207.5 million as of the end of the fiscal year. This is $58.4 million higher than the $149.1 million estimate that was projected in the final Chapter
20 fund condition statement. In addition, this reflects only minor variations from the gross ending balance of $197.8 million estimate for fiscal year 2001 by the Legislative Fiscal Bureau in its summary of
2001 Act 16.
General-purpose revenue taxes were $10.063 billion compare to $10.946 billion in the prior year, a decrease of $883 million or 8.1 percent. This decrease is the result of reductions in income tax rates and other changes to state tax laws made in
1999 Wisconsin Act 9. General-purpose revenue expenditures, excluding fund transfers, were $11.078 billion compared to $11.270 billion in the prior year, a decrease of $192 million or 1.7 percent. This reduction reflects the one-time sales tax rebate distributed in fiscal year 2000. If the rebate is excluded, fiscal year 2001 spending increased by $506.9 million or 4.8 percent.
General-purpose revenue spending increases in fiscal year 2001 were largely driven by increases in three areas: School Aids increased by $239.9 million, Corrections increased by $94.1 million, and UW System increased by $93.2 million.
In fiscal year 2001, the State of Wisconsin continued to devote the major share of state tax collections to assistance to local school districts, municipalities and counties. Local assistance accounted for 60.3 percent of total general purpose revenue spending. Aid payments to individuals and organizations represented 16.1 percent of total general purpose revenue expenditures. The University of Wisconsin accounted for 9.4 percent of total general purpose revenue spending and state operations spending for all other state agencies accounted for 14.2 percent of the total.
The State of Wisconsin expects to publish its comprehensive annual financial report in December 2001. The report will be prepared under generally accepted accounting principles.
Sincerely,
George Lightbourn
Secretary
State of Wisconsin