Analysis prepared by the Department of Regulation
2001 Wisconsin Act 52 makes a number of changes to the provisions affecting nurse-midwives, including that licensed nurse-midwives carry malpractice insurance in an amount determined by rules to be promulgated by the Board of Nursing. This rule establishes those requirements relating to malpractice coverage for nurse-midwives.
Using the procedure under s.
227.24, Stats., the Board of Nursing will promulgate the rules as created by
2001 Wisconsin Act 52, for the period before permanent rules become effective.
Publication Date:
November 5, 2002
Effective Date:
November 5, 2002
Expiration Date:
April 4, 2003
Hearing Date:
March 7, 2003
Veterans Affairs
Rules adopted amending
s. VA 12.02 (7) and (16), relating to the maximum loan amount under the personal loan program.
Finding of Emergency
The Department of Veterans Affairs finds that an emergency exists and that a rule is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety or welfare. A statement of the facts constituting the emergency is as follows:
The Department administers a personal loan program that may be used by veterans and their dependents for various statutory purposes. The purposes include debt consolidation, payment of delinquent child support, education expenses, and medical and funeral expenses, and the purchase of a mobile home or business property. The current maximum loan amount, set by the Department at sec. VA 12.02 (7), Wis. Adm. Code, is $10,000. The permissible statutory maximum loan amount may be $15,000, as set by the Department by administrative rule.
The Department proposes to raise the amount to the statutory maximum for several compelling reasons. Raising the maximum loan amount will help stimulate the economy by providing additional resources for veterans and their families. Due to the state of the economy, veterans and their families have a significant need for financial assistance in the form of below market interest rate loans. Additionally, the personal loan program is the primary source of revenue for the veterans trust fund. Immediate infusion of additional assets in the form of personal loans will provide significant financial support for the trust fund. It is expected that increasing the maximum loan amount will result in approximately $4,000,000 of new loan assets over the 8-month period in which it would take to promulgate this rule change using the regular promulgation procedure.
Publication Date:
August 5, 2002
Effective Date:
August 5, 2002
Expiration Date:
January 2, 2003
Hearing Date:
December 6, 2002
Extension Through:
March 2, 2003
Workforce Development
(Public Works Const. Contracts, Chs.
DWD 290-
294)
Rules adopted amending
s. DWD 290.155 (1), relating to the annual adjustment of thresholds for application of prevailing wage rates.
Finding of Emergency
The Department of Workforce Development finds that an emergency exists and that a rule is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or welfare. A statement of facts constituting the emergency is:
The Department of Workforce Development is acting under its statutory authority to annually adjust thresholds for the application of prevailing wage laws on public works projects. The thresholds are adjusted in accordance with any change in construction costs since the last adjustment. The last adjustment was initially by emergency rule in January 2002 based on changes in the construction cost index in 2001. The Department uses the construction cost index in the December issue of the Engineering News-Record, a national construction trade publication, to determine the change in construction costs over the previous year. The current construction cost index indicates a 2.7% increase in construction costs in 2002. This increase in construction costs results in an increase in the threshold for application of the prevailing wage laws from $36,000 to $37,000 for single-trade projects and from $175,000 to $180,000 for multi-trade projects.
If these new thresholds are not put into effect by emergency rule, the old thresholds will remain effective for approximately 7 months, until the conclusion of the permanent rule-making process. Between January 1, 2003, and August 1, 2003, a single-trade project with a minimum estimated project cost of more than $36,000 but less than $37,000 or a multi-trade project with an estimated cost of more than $175,000 but less than $180,000 would not be exempt from the prevailing wage laws, as they would be if the emergency rule were promulgated. The threshold adjustments for application of the prevailing wage laws are based on national construction cost statistics and are unlikely to be changed by the permanent rule-making process. The Department is proceeding with this emergency rule to avoid imposing an additional administrative burden on local governments and state agencies.
Publication Date:
December 27, 2002
Effective Date:
January 1, 2003
Expiration Date:
May 31, 2003
Hearing Date:
February 27, 2003
