Description of policy issues:
Description of the objective of the rule:
The proposed rule would allow state-chartered savings and loans, with the prior approval of the Division of Savings Institutions, to control or hold an interest in financial subsidiaries. A financial subsidiary would engage in activities that are financial in nature or incidental to a financial activity. The objective of the rule is to ensure that state-chartered savings and loans will not be at a competitive disadvantage to other financial institutions that have received similar authority under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999.
Description of existing relevant policies and new policies proposed to be included in the rule and an analysis of policy alternatives:
The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999 creates a financial subsidiary that can be used by national banks to engage in many of the same financial activities that are permitted under the Act for the new financial holding companies. The new authority substantially exceeds the current authority for subsidiaries of state-chartered savings and loans.
State-chartered savings and loans will be at a competitive disadvantage if they are not granted similar authority to engage in the new financial activities through financial subsidiaries. National banks are permitted under the Act to control or hold an interest in financial subsidiaries to engage in activities that are financial in nature or incidental to a financial activity except, as a principal, for real estate development, real estate investment activities, certain insurance underwriting and merchant banking.
State-chartered savings and loans are permitted by statute to “undertake any activity, exercise any power or offer any financially related product or service in the state that any other provider of financial products or services may undertake, exercise or provide or that the division finds to be financially related.”
The proposed rule is consistent with Section 121 (d) of the Act which creates new Section 46 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act. This new section permits insured state banks to control or hold an interest in a financial subsidiary subject to the safety and soundness firewalls established by that section of the Act. The proposed rule would be the implementing provision under state law which may be necessary for state-chartered savings and loans to exercise this new authority.
Statutory authority for the rule:
Section 215.135, Stats.
Estimate of the amount of time state employes will spend to develop the rule and of other resources necessary to develop the rule:
Estimated time to be spent by state employes -- 40 hours. No other resources are necessary.
Medical Examining Board
Subject:
Med Code - Relating to the exception to the 7 year rule regarding the completion of the USMLE Examination (United States Medical Licensing Examination).
Description of policy issues:
Objective of the rule:
To allow for those applicants who are in an MD-PhD program who are not able to complete all three steps of the USMLE examination in the 7 year period.
Policy analysis:
This change would allow the Medical Examining Board to promulgate rules regarding an exception for applicants who have been in an MD-PhD program.
Statutory authority:
Sections 15.08 (5) (b), 227.11 (2) and 448.40 (1), Stats.
Estimate of the amount of time that state employes will spend to develop the rule and of other resources necessary to develop the rule:
50 hours.
Natural Resources
(Fish, Game, etc., Chs. NR 1--)
Subject:
NR Code - Relating to student fees for hunter, snowmobile and ATV education classes.
Description of policy issues:
Description of policy issues to be resolved, include groups likely to be impacted or interested in the issue:
The DNR is proposing a set fee for Safety Education Courses of $10 per student. The DNR's volunteer instructors around the state would then be charging a standard fee for programs. There are 4,500 volunteer instructors that this would impact.
This rule/Board action represents a change from past policy.
Explain the facts that necessitate the proposed change:
This proposal stems from the passing of the most recent Budget Bill which transfers authority from state statutes to administrative code to regulate student fees for Hunter Education, Snowmobile and ATV Education. The Department's fees have remainedbetween $2 and $5 per student for these programs and there have been no increases to help offset the costs of running these programs. The increase in the per student fees will add to some of the program budgets enough funds to maintain proper support for the volunteer instructors, students, and aid in meeting program goals.
Summary of the proposed rule:
The Department is proposing to increase the per student fees from the Hunter, Snowmobile, and ATV courses to a standard of $10. Instructors would be allowed to keep 50% (or up to $5) of that fee to offset expenses. The remainder of the fee (at least $5) is to be returned to the Department.
How the proposed rule affects policy:
This rule will create a standard fee of $10 for all of the Department's safety education courses. It also requires instructors to return all portions of the fee not used for expenses in providing the courses.
Who is affected by the rule:
All Department volunteer instructors and all future students of the safety education courses.
Environmental analysis:
This is a type III action and does not require an environmental analysis.
This rule/Board action does not represent an opportunity for pollution prevention and/or waste minimization.
Statutory authority:
Sections 23.33 (5) (d), 29.591 (3), 30.74 (1) (b) and 350.055, Stats.
Anticipated time commitment:
The anticipated time commitment is 15 hours. Eight public hearings are proposed to be held sometime after May 1, 2000 at Milwaukee, Madison, Eau Claire, Green Bay, Spooner, LaCrosse, Rhinelander and Wisconsin Rapids.
Natural Resources
(Fish, Game, etc., Chs. NR 1--)
Subject:
Chs. NR 50 and 51 - Relating to grant rules for the new Knowles-Nelson Stewardship 2000 program and to using the emergency rule-making process so that grants may be awarded as soon to July 1 as possible.
Description of policy issues:
Description of policy issues to be resolved, include groups likely to be impacted or interested in the issue:
Rules need to be amended to reflect changes made by the legislature in the Stewardship program:
1) New grants programs to purchase development rights and to protect Great Lakes bluffs and the Baraboo Hills.
2) New terms: “nature-based outdoor recreation,” “wild lake,” “shoreline enhancement” and “bluff land” need to be defined.
Non-profit conservation groups and local units of government will be directly affected by the changes. Other conservation organizations are likely to be interested.
This rule/Board action represents a change from past policy.
Explain the facts that necessitate the proposed change:
The Stewardship program was recently revised by the legislature and the grant codes need to be amended to conform to those changes.
This rule/Board action represents an opportunity for pollution prevention and/or waste minimization.
Statutory authority:
Sections 227.11 and 227.24, Stats., and section 9136 (10g) of 1999 Wis. Act 9.
Anticipated time commitment:
The anticipated time commitment is 483 hours. Three public hearings are proposed to be held on June 13, 14 and 15, 2000 at Madison, Milwaukee and Rhinelander.
Natural Resources
(Environmental Protection--General, Chs. NR 100--)
Subject:
Ch. NR 168 - Relating to establishing the Brownfields Site Assessment grant program as directed by the 1999-2001 state budget.
Description of policy issues:
Description of policy issues to be resolved, include groups likely to be impacted or interested in the issue:
The major policy issues that need to be addressed as part of this rule include:
1) Set priorities for the grant criteria, because grant requests are likely to exceed available funding;
2) Determine whether limits are needed on any of the categories of eligible activities;
3) Determine the information needed on grant applications; and
4) Establish a description of acceptable in-kind contributions.
The groups most likely to be impacted or interested in this rule include: cities, villages, towns, counties, redevelopment authorities, community development authorities, or housing authorities. The groups most likely to be interested in this rule include: consultants, engineering and environmental remediation services, attorneys, and citizens.
This rule/Board action represents a change from past policy.
Explain the facts that necessitate the proposed change:
The budget bill, 1999 Wis. Act 9, created s. 292.75, Stats., and provided $1.45 million from the appropriation under s. 20.370 (6) (et), Stats., for the biennium. The Department was directed to promulgate rules necessary to administer the program. The program will fund the following eligible activities: site investigation, demolition of structures, removal of abandoned containers, asbestos abatement, removal of underground hazardous substance storage tank systems, and removal of underground petroleum product storage tank systems.
This rule/Board action represents an opportunity for pollution prevention and/or waste minimization.
Purpose:
The purpose of this proposed rule-making is to establish a new grant program for local governmental units to assess and clean up brownfield properties that are known or suspected to be contaminated. The rule will be jointly developed by the Community Financial Assistance and Remediation and Redevelopment Bureaus, and will be ch. NR 168. The authority for developing this rule is set forth in the 1999-2001 Biennial Budget, 1999 Wis. Act 9, in s. 292.75, Stats.
Background:
Wisconsin has had two major legislative initiatives affecting brownfields properties, beginning in May 1994, with the passage of the Land Recycling Law. Additional initiatives were passed in the 1997-99 biennial budget, including direction from the Legislature to the Department to study seven issues related to the cleanup and reuse of brownfields, in cooperation with other state agencies and external parties.
