Referred to committee on Health, Human Services, Insurance, and Job Creation, August 14, 2008
.
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State of Wisconsin
Department of Administration
July 31, 2008
The Honorable, The Legislature:
In compliance with Wisconsin statute 16.548 please find the Wisconsin Office of Federal/State Relations quarterly report to be submitted to the Legislature for Second Quarter of 2008. This report provides information on the activities of the office and the status of federal legislation of concern to the State of Wisconsin.
Please contact me if you have any questions about this material.
Sincerely,
Dan Schooff
Deputy Secretary
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State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
July 17, 2008
The Honorable, The Legislature:
We have completed a review of the Environmental Cooperation Pilot Program (ECPP). The program is administered by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and was established by
1997 Wisconsin Act 27 to test innovative environmental regulatory methods. Since the program's inception, DNR has entered into seven agreements with power generation and manufacturing companies to reduce pollution. Statutes require the Legislative Audit Bureau to monitor ECPP and report to the Legislature on our findings.
During 2006 and 2007, DNR renewed six of the seven agreements with ECPP companies for a final five-year term. One of two separate ECPP agreements with We Energies was not renewed because environmental goals had been attained and neither DNR nor the company anticipated any further benefits from the program.
Since our last review, DNR has reported environmental performance measures. However, these measures could be improved to identify performance by individual companies. In order to meet statutory requirements and better assess ECPP's effectiveness, we also suggest that DNR expand its efforts to measure the companies' and its own administrative savings, consider additional strategies for sharing environmental or technical innovations, and employ additional efforts to ensure adequate public involvement.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by DNR and the ECPP companies we contacted in conducting this review.
Sincerely,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
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State of Wisconsin
Department of Administration
July 31, 2008
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 June 2008.
S875
On June 16, 2008, the General Fund cash balance closed at a negative $576.4 million (its intra-month low). This negative balance continued through June 30, 2008, when the fund's cash balance closed at a positive $24.8 million. The negative balance was due to the difference in the timing of revenues and expenditures.
On June 1, 2008, the Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund cash balance closed at a negative $20.8 million. This negative balance continued through June 30, 2008, when the fund's cash balance closed at a negative $35.3 million. The Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund cash balance reached its intra-month low of a negative $37.0 million on June 6, 2008. 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.
On June 1, 2008, the Medical Assistance Trust Fund cash balance closed at a negative $59.5 million (its intra-month low). This negative balance continued through June 30, 2008, when the fund's cash balance closed at a negative $32.3 million. The negative balance was due to the difference in the timing of revenues and expenditures, including a pending transfer from the Permanent Endowment Fund as required under
2007 Wisconsin Act 226.
On June 1, 2008, the Utility Public Benefits Fund cash balance closed at a negative $2.7 million (its intra-month low). This negative balance continued through June 3, 2008, when the fund's cash balance closed at a positive $2.2 million. The negative balance was due to the difference in the timing of revenues and expenditures.
The General Fund, Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund, Medical Assistance Trust Fund, and Utility Public Benefits 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
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State of Wisconsin
Department of Health Services
July 17, 2008
The Honorable, The Senate:
I am pleased to submit to the Legislature the enclosed report as required by Wisconsin Statutes s.153.05(2m)(b). This provision directs the Department of Health and Family Services to biennially review the performance of the Wisconsin Hospital Association (WHA), the entity under contract to produce the reports under s.153.05(2m), and to report to the Legislature on the timeliness and quality of the reports produced by the Wisconsin Hospital Association Center (WHAIC).
Sincerely,
Karen E. timberlake
Secretary
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Relating to audit, control and financial reporting requirements.
Submitted by Insurance Commissioner.
Report received from Agency, August 15, 2008.
Referred to committee on Health, Human Services, Insurance, and Job Creation, August 15, 2008
.
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The committee on Public Health, Senior Issues, Long Term Care and Privacy reports and recommends:
Relating to long-term care plans including the long-term care partnership program qualifying policies and affecting small business.
No action taken.
Tim Carpenter
Chairperson
