Notice is hereby given that pursuant to the authority granted under s.
601.41 (3), Stats., and the procedure set forth in under s.
227.18, Stats., OCI will hold a public hearing to consider the adoption of the proposed rulemaking order affecting ss.
Ins 17.01 (3),
17.25 (3) (d),
17.28 (6) and
17.28 (6a), Wis. Adm. Code, relating to annual patients compensation fund and mediation fund fees for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2002.
Hearing Information
Date: Friday, May 3, 2002
Time: 10:00 a.m., or as soon thereafter as the matter may be reached
Place: Room 23, OCI,
121 East Wilson Street, Madison, WI
Written comments on the proposed rule will be accepted into the record and receive the same consideration as testimony presented at the hearing if they are received at OCI by 4:30p.m. the date of the hearing. Written comments should be addressed to: Alice M. Shuman-Johnson, OCI, PO Box 7873, Madison WI 53707.
Analysis prepared by the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance
The commissioner of insurance, with the approval of the board of governors (board) of the patients compensation fund (fund), is required to establish by administrative rule the annual fees which participating health care providers must pay to the fund. This rule establishes those fees for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2002. These fees represent a 5% decrease compared with fees paid for the 2001-02 fiscal year. The board approved these fees at its meeting on February 27, 2002, based on the recommendation of the board's actuarial and underwriting committee.
The board is also required to promulgate by rule the annual fees for the operation of the patients compensation mediation system, based on the recommendation of the director of state courts. This rule implements the funding level recommendation of the board's actuarial and underwriting committee by establishing mediation panel fees for the next fiscal year at $ 19.00 for physicians and $1.00 per occupied bed for hospitals, representing a 50% decrease from 2001-02 fiscal year mediation panel fees.
This rule also amends s. Ins. 17.25 (3) (d) to reflect the increased primary limit of 1million/3million for occurrences on and after July 1, 1997 for the Wisconsin health care liability plan as required by s.
655.23 (4) (b), Stats.
Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
This rule does not impose any additional requirements on small businesses.
Fiscal estimate
The Patients Compensation Fund (Fund) is a segregated fund. Annual Fund fees are established to become effective each July 1, based on actuarial estimates of the Fund's needs for payment of medical malpractice claims. The proposed fees were approved by the Fund's Board of Governors at its February 27, 2002 meeting.
There is no effect on GPR.
Estimated revenue from fees, for fiscal year 2002-2003, is approximately $27.4 million, which represents a 5% decrease to fiscal year, 2001-2002 fee revenue.
Copies of Rule and Contact Person
Inger Williams, Services Section
Office of the Commissioner of Insurance
(608) 264-8110
or at
121 East Wilson Street
PO Box 7873, Madison WI 53707-7873
Notice of Hearing
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN That pursuant to ss.
118.045 (3) and
227.11 (2) (a), Stats., and interpreting s.
118.045, Stats., the Department of Public Instruction will hold a public hearing as follows to consider emergency rules, ch.
PI 27, relating to the commencement of a school term.
The hearing will be held as follows:
Date and Time Location
April 26, 2002 Madison
3:00 – 4:30 p.m. GEF 3 Building
125 South Webster St.
Room 349
The hearing site is fully accessible to people with disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodation to access any meeting, please call Lori Slauson, at (608) 267-9127 or leave a message with the Teletypewriter (TTY) at (608) 267-2427 at least 10 days prior to the hearing date. Reasonable accommodation includes materials prepared in an alternative format, as provided under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Copies of Rule and Contact Person
Lori Slauson, Administrative Rules and Federal Grants Coordinator
Department of Public Instruction
125 South Webster Street
P.O. Box 7841
Madison, WI 53707
Written comments on the proposed rules received by Ms. Slauson at the above email or street address no later than May 3, will be given the same consideration as testimony presented at the hearing.
Analysis by the Department of Public Instruction
2001 Wis. Act 16 requires school boards to start a school term after September 1 unless a school board submits a request to the Department of Public Instruction stating the reasons it would like the school term to start earlier. The department may grant a request only if it determines there are extraordinary reasons for granting it.
The department is required to promulgate rules to implement and administer this provision. The rules establish a procedure for school boards to use in requesting an earlier start date and gives examples of extraordinary reasons for granting such requests.
Fiscal Estimate
The proposed creation of ch.
PI 27, rules relating to the commencement of a school term, is a result of statutory changes made under
2001 Wis. Act 16. The rules will not have a fiscal effect separate from the statutory changes made under the Act. The Act modified s.
118.045, Stats., requiring school boards to start a school term after September 1 unless a school board submits a request to the department stating the reasons it would like the school term to start earlier. The department may grant a request only if it determines there are extraordinary reasons for granting it.
By law, school districts must provide 180 days of instruction. By starting school later, school districts will likely have to make up days by having shorter winter or spring breaks, or by extending the school year later into summer. If school is conducted during Thanksgiving or winter break when schools would normally be vacant, heating and electrical costs may increase. These costs are indeterminate.
Additionally, current law requires school districts to provide transportation for pupils in private schools. If private schools choose to begin the school year prior to September 1, transportation costs may increase if school districts are required to run additional bus lines or otherwise accommodate the transportation needs of private school pupils when public school is not in session. For example, one public school district has 40 percent of its elementary student population in private or parochial schools. The business manager of the public district estimated that if the private schools chose to start school prior to September 1, it would cost the school district an additional $5,000 to $6,000 per day in transportation costs. The private schools started on August 26 in 2001. If the new legislation would have been in effect this year, it would have cost the public school district $25,000 to $30,000. It should be noted that excessive private school transportation costs are listed in the rule as an extraordinary reason to allow a school to begin a school term prior to September 1.
It is assumed this rule will have no state fiscal effect. These rules may affect small businesses. However, any costs or benefits will vary on a case-by-case basis depending on when such businesses need to employ pupils (at the beginning or end of summer).
Notice of Hearing
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN That pursuant to ss.
118.30 (3) (b) and
227.11 (2) (a), Stats., and interpreting s.
118.30 (3), Stats., the Department of Public Instruction will hold a public hearing as follows to consider the creation of ch.
PI 28, relating to providing access to the 4
th, 8
th, and 10
th grade Knowledge and Concepts Examinations and the High School Graduation Test.
The hearing will be held as follows:
Date and Time Location
April 26, 2002 Madison
3:00 – 4:30 p.m. GEF 3 Building
125 South Webster St.
Room 349
The hearing site is fully accessible to people with disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodation to access any meeting, please call Lori Slauson, at (608) 267-9127 or leave a message with the Teletypewriter (TTY) at (608) 267-2427 at least 10 days prior to the hearing date. Reasonable accommodation includes materials prepared in an alternative format, as provided under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Copies of Rule and Contact Person
Lori Slauson, Administrative Rules and Federal Grants Coordinator
Department of Public Instruction
125 South Webster Street
P.O. Box 7841
Madison, WI 53707
Written comments on the proposed rules received by Ms. Slauson at the above email or street address no later than May 3, 2002, will be given the same consideration as testimony presented at the hearing.
Analysis by the Department of Public Instruction
Since 1992, when the knowledge and concepts examinations were first instituted in Wisconsin, the state superintendent has been required to make available, upon request, within 90 days of the date of administration, any of the required pupil assessments under s.
118.30, Stats. This requirement also applied to the high school graduation test when it was added in 1997. The department has provided guidance on proper test use and review in a document titled, “DPI Guidelines for Appropriate Testing Procedures."
2001 Wis. Act 16 created s.
118.30 (3) (b), Stats., requiring the state superintendent to promulgate rules establishing procedures to allow a person to view these tests. The proposed rules codify the requirements in the guidelines. Specifically, the rules:
Do not allow a person to review a test that is being developed or validated.
Require a person to submit a written request to the state superintendent and the school board within 90 days after the date of administration of the test.
Require the school board to file a confirmation of destruction/security agreement with the test publisher before allowing a test to be reviewed.
Require the school board or the department to ensure that the individual making the request signs a confidentiality agreement.
Require the school board or the department to ensure the test viewer is accompanied by a qualified staff member who is aware of the confidentiality requirements associated with the test.
Fiscal Estimate
The rules establish requirements for school boards providing access to the 4th, 8th, and 10th grade Knowledge and Concepts Examinations and the High School Graduation Test. The rules also establish procedures for individuals to follow in requesting these tests for review.
Requiring test access originated with the enactment of
1991 Wis. Act 269; however, rules relating to test access were not required to be developed. Instead, the department developed
DPI Guidelines for Appropriate Testing Procedures. 2001 Wisconsin Act 16 required the department to promulgate rules relating to test access. The rule codifies the requirements in the guidelines.
Because the requirements specified in the guidelines have been in place for quite some time, the rules codifying these requirements are not anticipated to have a local or state fiscal effect separate from current practice.
Notice of Hearing
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to ss.
49.145 (2) (f) and
227.11, Stats., the Department of Workforce Development proposes to hold a public hearing to consider ch.
DWD 15, relating to child support cooperation for Wisconsin works.
Hearing Information
May 1, 2002 GEF 1 Building, Room B103
