Hearing Date:
December 15, 1997
EMERGENCY RULES NOW IN EFFECT (3)
Insurance
1. A rule was adopted revising s. Ins 18.07 (5) (b), relating to a decrease in premium rates for the Health Insurance Risk-Sharing Plan (HIRSP), effective January 1, 1998.
Exemption From Finding of Emergency
Pursuant to s. 619.14 (5) (e), Stats., the Commissioner is not required to make a finding of an emergency to promulgate this emergency rule.
Analysis Prepared by the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance
January 1, 1998 Premium Adjustments
The Commissioner of Insurance, based on the recommendations of the Health Insurance Risk-Sharing Plan (“HIRSP”) board, is required to set the annual premiums by rule. The rates must be calculated in accordance with generally accepted actuarial principles. This rule adjusts the non-subsidized premium rates effective January 1, 1998. This change in rates will result in a reduction of approximately 14.5%, and is mandated by plan financing changes in 1997 Wis. Act 27.
Publication Date:
November 20, 1997
Effective Date:
January 1, 1998
Expiration Date:
May 31, 1998
Hearing Date:
December 30, 1997
2. Rules adopted revising s. Ins 2.14 and amending s. Ins 2.16 (1) & (3) (a) 2., Wis. Adm. Code, relating to life insurance solicitations.
Finding of Emergency
Effective January 1, 1998 Wisconsin will adopt the National Association of Insurance Commissioners Life Illustrations Model Regulation as s. Ins. 2.17 Wis. Adm. Code. These changes are needed to adapt other rules pertaining to life illustrations to s. Ins. 2.17. These changes must be made by emergency rule to synchronize with s. Ins. 2.17.
The main changes proposed to s. Ins 2.14 include:
· Eliminating the requirement that a policy summary be provided at delivery, if a basic illustration was provided.
· Eliminating the requirement that cost indexes be shown on the policy summary.
· Prohibiting insurers from illustrating anything except guaranteed policy elements on the policy summary, and requiring that values be illustrated for years 1-20 and at least one year between age 60 and 65, or maturity, whichever is earlier.
· Requiring that only guaranteed elements be used in the calculation of cost comparison indexes. As a result, the formulas for calculating the net payment cost index and the surrender cost index have been revised and any reference to the equivalent level annual dividend has been deleted from the rule.
· Requiring that insurers use the latest published version of the NAIC Life Insurance Buyer's Guide.
The main changes proposed to s. Ins 2.16 include:
· Excluding the illustration as defined in s. Ins. 2.17 from the definition of an advertisement.
· Revising the purpose of the rule to indicate that the rule is in addition to, and not a substitute, for s. Ins 2.17.
Publication Date:
December 10, 1997
Effective Date:
January 1, 1998
Expiration Date:
June 1, 1998
3. Rules were adopted amending s. Ins 18.07 (5) (b), published as an emergency rule relating to a decrease in premium rates for the health insurance risk-sharing plan under s. 18.07 (5) (b), and correcting errors in the published rate table.
January 1, 1998 Premium Adjustment Correction
The Commissioner of Insurance, based on the recommendation of the Health Insurance Risk-Sharing Plan (HIRSP) board, is required to set the annual premiums by rule. The rates must be calculated in accordance with generally accepted actuarial principles. An emergency rule, already promulgated and published, adjusts the non-subsidized premium rates effective January 1, 1998. This emergency amendment corrects 4 errors in the published rate table.
Exemption From Finding of Emergency
Pursuant to s. 619.14 (5)(e) Stats., the commissioner is not required to make a finding of an emergency to promulgate this emergency amendment to an emergency rule.
Publication Date:
December 12, 1997
Effective Date:
January 1, 1998
Expiration Date:
June 1, 1998
EMERGENCY RULES NOW IN EFFECT
Natural Resources
(Fish, Game, etc., Chs. NR 1--)
Rule adopted creating s. NR 27.07, relating to notice of receipt of an application to incidentally take an endangered or threatened species.
Exemption From Finding of Emergency
1995 Wis. Act 296 establishes authority in the department of natural resources to consider applications for and issue permits authorizing the incidental take of an endangered or threatened species while a person is engaged in an otherwise lawful activity. Section 29.415 (6m) (e), Stats., as created, requires the department to establish by administrative rule a list of organizations, including nonprofit conservation groups, that have a professional, scientific or academic interest in endangered species or in threatened species. That provision further provides that the department then give notification of proposed takings under that subsection of the statutes to those organizations and establish a procedure for receipt of public comment on the proposed taking.
The proposed rule lists a number of organizations the department is familiar with as being interested in endangered and threatened species; a notification procedure to be used to notify them, and others, of a proposed taking; and a public comment procedure to be used for consideration of public comments. The notification procedure is not limited to mail distribution, but is broad to allow other forms of notification, such as electronic mail.
Publication Date:
November 18, 1996
Effective Date:
November 18, 1996
Expiration Date:
See section 12m, 1996 Wis. Act 296
Hearing Date:
January 14, 1997
EMERGENCY RULES NOW IN EFFECT
Public Defender
A rule was adopted amending s. PD 3.038 (2), relating to the calculation of indigency.
Finding of Emergency
The State Public Defender Board finds that an emergency exists and that the following rule is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety or welfare. The statement of facts constituting the emergency is as follows:
The following emergency rule establishes the criteria to be used when determining whether a participant in the Wisconsin works (W-2) program qualifies for public defender representation. W-2 replaces aid to families with dependent children (AFDC) and, pursuant to s. 49.141 (2) (b), Stats., goes into effect on September 1, 1997. Although the Office of the State Public Defender (SPD) has rules governing eligibility for public defender representation of AFDC participants, it does not have rules governing the eligibility of W-2 participants. Because W-2 goes into effect on September 1, 1997, and it will be several months before a permanent rule is in place, it is essential that the following rule be promulgated as an emergency rule.
Publication Date:
September 15, 1997
Effective Date:
September 15, 1997
Expiration Date:
February 13, 1998
Hearing Date:
October 27, 1997
EMERGENCY RULES NOW IN EFFECT
Veterans Affairs
Rules were adopted revising ch. VA 12, relating to the personal loan program.
Exemption From Finding of Emergency
1997 Wis. Act 27, s. 9154 authorizes the department to promulgate rules for the administration of the personal loan program using the emergency rule procedures without providing evidence of the necessity of preservation of the public peace, health, safety or welfare.
Analysis
By repealing and recreating ch. VA 12, Wis. Adm. Code, the department establishes the underwriting and other criteria necessary for the administration of the personal loan program. The personal loan program was authorized by the legislature and governor through the amendment of s. 45.356, Stats., upon enactment of 1997 Wis. Act 27.
Publication Date:
October 17, 1997
Effective Date:
October 17, 1997
Expiration Date:
March 17, 1998
Hearing Date:
January 9, 1998
Statements of Scope of Proposed Rules
Administration (Gaming Board)
Subject:
SS. WGC 13.05 (3) (a) and 13.15 (4) (c) - Relating to license fees for kennel owners at greyhound racetracks.
Description of policy issues:
Statement of the objective of the proposed rule:
The Department of Administration proposes to amend s. WGC 13.05 (3) (a), Wis. Adm. Code, reducing the cost of a kennel owner's license fee from $750 to $350 and to repeal s. WGC 13.15 (4) (c), requiring a kennel owner to obtain a license for each racetrack in which they own and operate a kennel.
Description of policy issues:
The Department of Administration is responsible for setting license fees as provided in s. 562.05 (2), Stats. The kennel owner license fee is reduced to assist the Wisconsin racetracks in recruiting racing kennels to operate in Wisconsin. The current fee is cost prohibitive to the kennels and therefore they decline booking agreements in Wisconsin and pursue booking agreements in other states. Additionally, the kennel owner license was a license that was racetrack specific: most other licenses are valid at all Wisconsin racetracks.
Statement of the statutory authority for the rule:
SS. 562.02 (1) and 562.05 (2), Stats.
Staff time required:
The Department of Administration estimates 20 - 30 hours to promulgate this rule.
Commerce
Subject:
Ch. Comm 110 - Relating to the brownfields grant program.
Description of policy issues:
