By
Senators
Leibham, A. Lasee and Reynolds; cosponsored by Representatives Gunderson, Kestell, Kreibich, F. Lasee, Petrowski, Lehman, LeMahieu, Krawczyk, Stone and Hines.
To committee on Natural Resources and Transportation.
Senate Bill 67
Relating to: removal of abandoned dams.
By
Senators
Leibham, A. Lasee, Reynolds, Olsen and Grothman; cosponsored by Representatives Kestell, Pridemore, Lothian, Ott, LeMahieu, Hahn, F. Lasee, Petrowski, Hines and Vrakas.
To committee on Natural Resources and Transportation.
Senate Bill 68
Relating to: supplementing special education funding with lapsed student achievement guarantee contract moneys and making an appropriation.
By
Senators
Olsen, Kapanke, Darling and Kanavas; cosponsored by Representatives Towns, Davis, Ainsworth, Wood, Nischke, Kerkman, Gielow, LeMahieu, Musser, Hines, Bies, Hahn, Petrowski, Van Roy, Jeskewitz, Underheim, Albers, Pridemore, Kestell, Gunderson, Hundertmark, Ott and Vukmir.
To committee on Education.
Senate Bill 69
Relating to: an income tax and franchise tax credit for training apprentices.
By
Senators
Grothman, Roessler and Kanavas; cosponsored by Representatives Loeffelholz, Gronemus, Ainsworth, Kerkman, Van Roy, Albers, Fields, Freese, Jensen, Townsend, Ott, Vos, Jeskewitz, Gunderson, Pettis and Davis.
To committee on Job Creation, Economic Development and Consumer Affairs.
Senate Bill 70
Relating to: evidence of lay and expert witnesses.
By
Senators
Kanavas, Stepp, Olsen and Brown; cosponsored by Representatives Suder, Townsend, Hahn, Bies, Jensen, Hines, Van Roy, Gunderson, Ott, Albers, Hundertmark, F. Lasee, Davis, Kreibich and Lamb.
To committee on Judiciary, Corrections and Privacy.
The committee on Education reports and recommends:
Senate Bill 8
Relating to: prohibiting the Department of Public Instruction from selecting pupils for the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program on a random basis.
No recommendation pursuant to s.
227.19 (6)(b), Wisconsin Statutes.
Luther Olsen
Chairperson
The joint committee on Finance reports and recommends:
Senate Bill 42
Relating to: requiring certain identification in order to vote at a polling place or obtain an absentee ballot, verification of the addresses of electors, and the fee for an identification card issued by the Department of Transportation.
Introduction and adoption of Senate Amendment 1.
Ayes, 16 - Senators
S. Fitzgerald, Lazich, Darling, Cowles, Leibham, Olsen, Decker and Taylor. Representatives Kaufert, Ward, Jensen, Stone, Rhoades, Meyer, Colon and Pocan.
Noes, 0 - None.
Introduction and adoption of Senate Amendment 2.
Ayes, 13 - Senators
S. Fitzgerald, Lazich, Darling, Cowles, Leibham, Olsen and Decker.
Representatives Kaufert, Ward, Jensen, Stone, Rhoades and Meyer.
Noes, 3 - Senator
Taylor. Representatives Colon and Pocan.
Introduction and adoption of Senate Amendment 3.
Ayes, 16 - Senators
S. Fitzgerald, Lazich, Darling, Cowles, Leibham, Olsen, Decker and Taylor. Representatives Kaufert, Ward, Jensen, Stone, Rhoades, Meyer, Colon and Pocan.
Noes, 0 - None.
Report Passage as amended with emergency statement (s.
16.47, Wisconsin Statutes).
Ayes, 12 - Senators
S. Fitzgerald, Lazich, Darling, Cowles, Leibham and Olsen.
Representatives Kaufert, Ward, Jensen, Stone, Rhoades and Meyer.
Noes, 4 - Senators
Decker and Taylor. Representatives Colon and Pocan.
Senate Bill 64
Relating to: decreasing an appropriation of general purpose revenues for the Badger Care health care program; increasing an appropriation of general purpose revenues for prescription drug assistance; increasing an appropriation of general purpose revenues for Medical Assistance; transferring moneys from the general fund to the Medical Assistance trust fund; required general fund statutory balance; and making an appropriation.
Introduction and adoption of Senate Amendment 1.
Ayes, 15 - Senators
S. Fitzgerald, Lazich, Cowles, Leibham, Olsen, Decker and Taylor. Representatives Kaufert, Ward, Jensen, Stone, Rhoades, Meyer, Colon and Pocan.
Noes, 1 - Senator
Darling.
Report Passage as amended with emergency statement (s.
16.47, Wisconsin Statutes).
Ayes, 16 - Senators
S. Fitzgerald, Lazich, Darling, Cowles, Leibham, Olsen, Decker and Taylor. Representatives Kaufert, Ward, Jensen, Stone, Rhoades, Meyer, Colon and Pocan.
Noes, 0 - None.
Scott Fitzgerald
Senate Chairperson
The committee on Health, Children, Families, Aging and Long Term Care reports and recommends:
Senate Bill 11
Relating to: an overtime pay exemption for providers of companionship services.
No recommendation pursuant to s.
227.19 (6)(b), Wisconsin Statutes.
Carol Roessler
Chairperson
The committee on Labor and Election Process Reform reports and recommends:
Senate Bill 12
Relating to: the state minimum wage.
No recommendation pursuant to s.
227.19 (6)(b), Wisconsin Statutes.
Thomas Reynolds
Chairperson
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
February 14, 2005
The Honorable, The Senate:
Please withdraw the nomination of Jeffrey Knaus to the Examining Board of Architects, Landscape Architects, Professional Engineers, Designers and Land Surveyors.
Sincerely,
JIM DOYLE
Governor
State of Wisconsin
Department of Workforce Development
February 17, 2005
The Honorable, The Senate:
Pursuant to s.
109.12(2) and
(3), Wis. Stats., I hereby submit the Department of Workforce Development's (DWD) 2002 annual report on the administration and enforcement of s.
109.07 and
109.075, Wis. Stats. The report contains three sections. The first section lists all employers in 2002 that notified DWD of business closings and mass layoffs planned in Wisconsin. The second section of the report lists employers against whom DWD has received business closing or mass layoff notification complaints and the current status or outcome of those complaints. The third section of the report lists employers against whom DWD has received healthcare cessation notification complaints, DWD's actions and the current status or outcome of those complaints.
Business Closing or Mass Layoff Notifications:
On January 1st, 2004 the department had 27 business closing or mass layoff cases pending either within the department [DWD] or at the Department of Justice [DOJ]. Since January 1st, 2004 nine of those cases have been settled. Six cases have been found dismissed with a finding the complaint was invalid. One case has been dismissed because the employer was insolvent. The remaining eleven cases remain with the DOJ in various stages of litigation.
During 2004 and thus far in 2005 the department has received 24 new cases. One of these cases has been settled. One case has been dismissed due to the insolvency of the employer. Ten complaints were found to be invalid and dismissed. The remaining twelve complaints remain under investigation at this time.
S88
Overall in 2004 the department collected more than $5.85 million in increased wages for more than 1100 employees due to a combination of employers' failures to provide employees with advance notices of business closures and unpaid final wages for these employees.
Healthcare Plan Cessation Notifications:
On January 1st, 2004 there were six healthcare plan cessation cases pending either at DWD or DOJ. Since then one of these cases has been settled, one case closed because the wages involved were uncollectible and one case closed because the complaint was invalid. The three remaining cases are currently involved in litigation by DOJ.
In 2004 five new complaints were filed with DWD. One of these cases has been settled with approximately $1,000,000 being paid to 230 former workers [this settlement was both a business closing and healthcare plan cessation settlement]. In one case DWD's investigation found no violation and dismissed the case. The remaining three cases are under investigation at this time.
If you have any questions regarding the information contained in this report please contact Lucia Nunez, Administrator of the Equal Rights Division, at (608) 266-0946.
Sincerely,
ROBERTA GASSMAN
Secretary
