Thursday, October 4, 2007
4:00 P.M.
Ninety-Eighth Regular Session
The Senate met.
The Senate was called to order by Chief Clerk Marchant, pursuant to Senate Rule
5 (4)(b).
The Chair, with unanimous consent, asked that the proper entries be made in the journal.
__________________
Read and referred:
Senate Joint Resolution 62
Relating to: the life and service of United States Army Specialist Eric D. Clark, who lost his life during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
By
Senator
Wirch
; cosponsored by Representative Steinbrink
.
To committee on Senate Organization.
Senate Joint Resolution 63
Relating to: the life and service of Staff Sergeant Robert J. Basham of the Wisconsin Army National Guard, who lost his life during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
By
Senator
Wirch
; cosponsored by Representative Steinbrink
.
To committee on Senate Organization.
Read first time and referred:
Senate Bill 278
Relating to: threatening or committing battery against certain employees of first class cities and providing a penalty.
By
Senators
Coggs, Plale, Roessler and Lassa; cosponsored by Representatives Zepnick, Colon, Honadel, Grigsby, Montgomery, Fields, A. Ott, Cullen, Hahn, Sinicki, Sheridan and Turner.
To committee on Judiciary and Corrections.
Senate Bill 279
Relating to: attractions displayed on highway specific information signs.
By
Senators
Breske, Schultz, Wirch, Erpenbach, Olsen and Ellis; cosponsored by Representatives Kaufert, M. Williams, Mursau, Ballweg, Gronemus, F. Lasee, LeMahieu, Nelson, Steinbrink, Townsend, Turner, Van Roy and Jorgensen.
To committee on Transportation, Tourism and Insurance.
Senate Bill 280
Relating to: authorizing an elective member of a political subdivision's governing body to refuse his or her salary.
By
Senators
Hansen, A. Lasee, Olsen, Risser, Roessler and Sullivan; cosponsored by Representatives Nygren, Smith, Ballweg, Berceau, Boyle, Gunderson, Hahn, Kerkman, Mursau, J. Ott, Petrowski and Turner.
To committee on Ethics Reform and Government Operations.
Senate Bill 281
Relating to: reporting requirements related to general transportation aids to local governments.
By
Senators
Hansen, Miller, Grothman, Roessler, Erpenbach and Lassa; cosponsored by Representatives Petrowski, Molepske and Turner.
To committee on Ethics Reform and Government Operations.
Senate Bill 282
Relating to: deduction of membership dues from retirement annuities under the Wisconsin Retirement System.
By
Senators
Hansen and Plale; cosponsored by Representatives Travis, Musser, Sheridan, Sinicki and Turner.
To joint survey committee on Retirement Systems.
Senate Bill 283
Relating to: the care and treatment of persons with Alzheimer's disease or related dementia in residential care facilities, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures, and requiring the exercise of rule-making authority.
By
Senators
Darling, Coggs, Erpenbach, Lassa, Lehman, Wirch, Kreitlow and Hansen; cosponsored by Representatives Krusick, Hines, Benedict, Berceau, Black, Fields, A. Ott, J. Ott, Sheridan, Young, Pocan and Pope-Roberts, by request of Wisconsin Alzheimers Association Chapter Network; AARP-Wisconsin; Brain Injury Association of Wisconsin; Coalition of Wisconsin Aging Groups; Community Alliance of Providers of Wisconsin; Disability Rights Wisconsin; Independence First; Learning Disabilities Association of Wisconsin; Steinhauer Group, LLC; Wisconsin Board on Aging and Long-Term Care; Wisconsin Council on Developmental Disabilities; Wisconsin Coalition of Independent Living Centers, Inc..
To committee on Public Health, Senior Issues, Long Term Care and Privacy.
__________________
The committee on Commerce, Utilities and Rail reports and recommends:
Relating to: expanding the area in which a tax incremental district's project costs may be expended.
Introduction of Senate Amendment 1.
Ayes, 7 - Senators
Plale, Breske, Wirch, Hansen, Cowles, Harsdorf and Kedzie.
Noes, 0 - None.
Adoption of Senate Amendment 1.
Ayes, 7 - Senators
Plale, Breske, Wirch, Hansen, Cowles, Harsdorf and Kedzie.
Noes, 0 - None.
Passage as amended.
Ayes, 7 - Senators
Plale, Breske, Wirch, Hansen, Cowles, Harsdorf and Kedzie.
Noes, 0 - None.
Jeffrey Plale
Chairperson
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
September 27, 2007
The Honorable, The Legislature:
We have completed financial audits of Mendota and Winnebago Mental Health Institutes for the period July 1, 2005, through June 30, 2006. The audits were requested by the Department of Health and Family Services to comply with requirements of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. We were able to express an unqualified opinion on each Institute's financial statements.
Mendota and Winnebago Mental Health Institutes are licensed and accredited hospitals that provide specialized diagnostic, evaluation, and treatment services for mentally ill children and adults. The Institutes also provide services to forensic patients referred to them through the criminal justice system. The Institutes are funded through a mix of general purpose revenue and program revenue.
Each Institute reported a financial gain for fiscal year 2005-06. Mendota reported a gain of $1.2 million, and Winnebago reported a gain of $1.8 million. In each case, operating revenues increased enough to offset increases in operating expenses, such as salary and fringe benefit costs. Further, each Institute reported a positive accounting balance, which is reflected in its financial statements as unrestricted net assets.
As part of our audit, we followed up on internal control concerns reported in our prior year's audit related to administration of approximately $395,000 in client funds by the Program of Assertive Community Treatment, an outpatient unit of Mendota. To assist clients in managing their own money, staff receive and disburse funds on their behalf. In accepting client funds, the State is responsible for ensuring proper controls are in place to reduce the risks of error or misappropriation. While some improvements were made, internal control concerns remain related to client funds administered by the Program of Assertive Community Treatment, including a lack of separation of duties and limited oversight of operations.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by Department of Health and Family Services staff during our audit. A response from the Department follows our report.
Respectfully submitted,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
State of Wisconsin
Department of Administration
September 28, 2007
The Honorable, The Legislature:
