To committee on Senate Organization.
Read first time and referred:
Senate Bill 344
Relating to: fire detection, prevention, and suppression rules governing places of employment and public buildings under 60 feet in height (suggested as remedial legislation by the Department of Commerce).
By
Law Revision Committee.
To committee on Commerce, Utilities and Rail.
Senate Bill 345
Relating to: variances to rules concerning automatic fire sprinklers in places of employment and public buildings under 60 feet in height (suggested as remedial legislation by the Department of Commerce).
By
Law Revision Committee.
To committee on Commerce, Utilities and Rail.
Senate Bill 346
Relating to: products containing mercury and granting rule-making authority.
By
Senators
Jauch, Miller, Kreitlow, Coggs, Lehman, Risser, Taylor, Wirch, Carpenter, Lassa, Robson and Sullivan; cosponsored by Representatives A. Ott, Sinicki, Sherman, Berceau, Pope-Roberts, Hintz, Hixson, Black, Zepnick, Gronemus, Parisi, Hebl and Pocan.
To committee on Small Business, Emergency Preparedness, Workforce Development, Technical Colleges and Consumer Protection.
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Senate President
November 27
, 2007
The Honorable, the Senate:
Pursuant to Senate Rule
46 (2)(c), I am writing to inform you that I have directed the following proposal(s) to be withdrawn from committee and rereferred. I have obtained the consent of the appropriate standing committee chairperson and the chairperson of the committee on Senate Organization.
Assembly Bill
279
withdrawn from committee on Public Health, Senior Issues, Long Term Care and Privacy and rereferred to committee on Judiciary, Corrections, and Housing.
Sincerely,
FRED A. RISSER
Senate President
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
November 28, 2007
The Honorable, the Legislature:
We have completed an evaluation of state and local governments' compliance with election laws, as required by
2003 Wisconsin Act 265. The Elections Board enforces election laws and supports and trains the municipal clerks who register voters and administer elections. Early next year, however, the Government Accountability Board will replace and assume the duties of the Elections Board.
Federal law requires Wisconsin to implement an electronic statewide voter registration system, in part to prevent ineligible individuals from voting. Available information indicates there were few problems with ineligible individuals voting in November 2006; however, ongoing problems with the electronic system continue to make it difficult to identify such individuals.
Federal and state laws require voting systems and polling places to be accessible to individuals with disabilities. However, we noted numerous problems when we visited 36 polling places in 20 municipalities on Election Day in November 2006. As a result, we question whether some polling places are adequately accessible.
S447
We have followed up on the recommendations in our 2005 evaluation of voter registration and provide a number of new recommendations for improving the administration of elections and enhancing the statewide voter registration system. We also note that additional efforts are needed to ensure that municipal clerks and other local election officials receive statutorily required training in administering elections effectively and appropriately.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by the Elections Board and local election officials. A response from the Elections Board follows the appendices.
Sincerely,
JANICE MUELLER
State Auditor
State of Wisconsin
Department of Administration
November 30, 2007
The Honorable, the Legislature:
This report is transmitted as required by s.
20.002(11)(f), Wisconsin Statutes, (for distribution to the appropriate standing committees under s.
13.172(3), Wisconsin Statutes) and confirms that the Department of Administration has found it necessary to exercise the “temporary reallocation of balances" authority provided by this section in order to meet payment responsibilities and cover resulting negative cash balances during the month of October 2007.
On October 1, 2007, the Dry Cleaner Environmental Response Fund cash balance closed at a negative $55 thousand. This negative balance continued through October 27, 2007, wen the fund's cash balance closed at a positive $11 thousand. The Dry Cleaner Environmental Response Fund cash balance reached its intra-month low of a negative $58 thousand on October 4, 2007. The negative balance was due to the difference in the timing of revenues and expenditures.
On October 1, 2007, the Wisconsin Health Education Loan Repayment Fund cash balance closed at a negative $2 thousand. This negative balance continued through October 31, 2007, when the fund's cash balance closed at a negative $2 thousand. The negative balance was due to the difference in the timing of revenues and expenditures.
On October 4, 2007, the Worker's Compensation Fund cash balance closed at a negative $1.7 million. This negative balance continued through October 31, 2007, when the fund's cash balance closed at a negative $1.8 million (its intra-month low). The negative balance was due to the difference in the timing of revenues and expenditures.
On October 29, 2007, the
Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund cash balance closed at a negative $51.3 million (its intra-month low). This negative balance continued through October 31, 2007, when the fund's cash balance closed at a negative $46.2 million. The negative balance was due to the transfer of $71.5 million to the General Fund per
2007 Wisconsin Act 20, and the pending liquidation of fund securities necessary to offset this shortfall.
The Dry Cleaner Environmental Response Fund, Wisconsin Health Education Loan Repayment Fund, Worker's Compensation Fund, and the Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund shortfalls were not in excess of the statutory interfund borrowing limitations and did not exceed the balances of the funds available for interfund borrowing.
The distribution of interest earnings to investment pool participants is based on the average daily balance in the pool and each fund's share. Therefore, the monthly calculation by the State Controller's Office will automatically reflect the use of these temporary reallocations of balance authority, and as a result, the funds requiring the use of the authority will effectively bear the interest cost.
Sincerely,
Michael l. Morgan
Secretary
Referred to joint committee on Finance.
State of Wisconsin
Revisor of Statutes Bureau
December 1
, 2007
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
The following rules have been published in the November 30, 2007 Wisconsin Administrative
Register No. 623:
Clearinghouse Rules Effective Date(s)
07-031
12-1-2007
07-060
12-1-2007
07-064
12-1-2007
07-072
12-1-2007
Sincerely,
GARY L. POULSON
Assistant Revisor of Statutes
Pursuant to Senate Rule 17 (5), Senator Carpenter added as a coauthor of
Senate Bill
259
.
__________________
Relating to the statewide immunization program and affecting small businesses.
Submitted by Department of Health and Family Services.
Report received from Agency, November 29, 2007.
Referred to committee on Public Health, Senior Issues, Long Term Care and Privacy, December 3, 2007.
Relating to motorcycle courses.
Submitted by Department of Transportation.
Report received from Agency, November 29, 2007.
Referred to committee on Transportation, Tourism and Insurance, December 3, 2007.
Relating to communicable diseases, and affecting small businesses.
Submitted by Department of Health and Family Services.
Report received from Agency, November 29, 2007.
Referred to committee on Public Health, Senior Issues, Long Term Care and Privacy, December 3, 2007.
