Tuesday, July 24, 2007
11:00 A.M.
Ninety‐Eighth Regular Session
The Assembly met in the Assembly Chamber located in the State Capitol.
Speaker Pro Tempore Gottlieb in the chair.
The Assembly dispensed with the call of the roll.
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Relating to electronic funds transfer.
Submitted by Department of Revenue.
Report received from Agency, July 6, 2007.
To committee on Ways and Means
.
Referred on July 20, 2007
.
Relating to substance abuse professionals.
Submitted by Department of Regulation and Licensing.
Report received from Agency, July 13, 2007.
To committee on Health and Healthcare Reform
.
Referred on July 20, 2007
.
Relating to facility reporting of involuntary administration of psychotropic medication under s.
55.14, stats., and affecting small businesses.
Submitted by Department of Health and Family Services.
Report received from Agency, July 9, 2007.
To committee on Aging and Long Term Care
.
Referred on July 20, 2007
.
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Referral of Agency Reports
State of Wisconsin
Department of Health and Family Services
Madison
July 19, 2007
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
The Department of Health and Family Services (DHFS) is pleased to submit to you and the Legislature the annual Wisconsin Immunization Program Legislative Report for State Fiscal Year 2007. The attached report is required by Wisconsin Statutes 252.04(11).
Wisconsin continues to make important progress towards attaining the goals set forth in Governor Doyle's KidsFirst Initiative and Healthiest Wisconsin 2010. The percentage of school aged children that meet the minimum immunization standard as required by the student immunization law requirements increased from 88.5% in the 2005‐06 school year to 91.7% in the 2006‐07 school year. For students attending the Milwaukee Public Schools there was a significant increase, from 44.9% to 61.3%, in the same time period. DHFS staff continues to work with other public and private partners to identify opportunities to improve immunizations rates for all children living in Milwaukee. Other highlights of the Legislative Report include:
•The implementation of newly licensed vaccines to prevent potentially serious diseases in children and adolescents has increased the amount of federal funds for vaccine purchase from $18.3 million in SFY 2006 to $25.9 million in SFY 2007.
•The annual Kindergarten Immunization Assessment indicates a 6% increase in the percentage of children that are considered to have completed their immunizations and a 1.6% decrease in the percentage of children who have opted for a personal conviction waiver.
•The Wisconsin Immunization Registry (WIR) continues to be a success with an increase in the number of records in the system, an increase in users and enhancements added to the system that will be beneficial in a bioterrorism or related event.
•With Governor Doyle's announcement that parents and guardians will have direct access to their children's immunization history in the WIR, there have been approximately 6,000 public access attempts per month.
We are pleased with this progress and will continue our strong partnership with other public and private health care providers in Wisconsin to ensure that children are properly immunized.
With warm regards,
Kevin R. Hayden
Secretary
Referred to committee on Public Health.
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State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
Madison
July 24, 2007
To the Honorable, the Assembly:
We have completed an evaluation of the allocation of prosecutor positions, as requested by the Joint Legislative Audit Committee. The State has funded county‐level prosecutors, including district attorneys, deputy district attorneys, and assistant district attorneys, since 1990. As of July 1, 2006, there were 424.65 full‐time equivalent (FTE) county‐level prosecutors statewide. Fiscal year 2005‐06 expenditures totaled $44.4 million, including $40.8 million in general purpose revenue.
Each year, the State Prosecutors Office in the Department of Administration (DOA) calculates prosecutorial staffing needs in each county using a formula that considers current staffing levels and the number and types of cases prosecuted by each county. However, the formula has never been used to reallocate positions across counties. The current weighted caseload formula estimates that statewide, district attorneys' offices are understaffed by 117.33 FTE positions.
Prosecutors have expressed a number of concerns with the formula's calculation of staffing needs. We found that while the formula's basic methodology is sound, it uses incomplete data and out‐of‐date measures of the time required to prosecute cases. Updating the formula will require use of a more accurate data source and a new time study to measure prosecutors' work.
We also examined the extent to which prosecutors' workloads are affected by other agencies, including prisons and the courts. We found that cases involving prison inmates are relatively rare but can be time‐consuming, and that better coordination between district attorneys and prison officials could assist in mitigating the workload impact of crimes committed by inmates.
We identify several issues for the Legislature to consider in allocating prosecutor positions. For example, creating a pool of “floating" assistant district attorneys could help counties manage unexpected or short‐term workload increases.
We appreciate the courtesy extended to us by DOA, district attorneys and their staffs, and other state and local officials we contacted during our evaluation. DOA's response follows the appendices.
Respectfully submitted,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
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