11. A description of the Effect on Small Business:
This rule will have an effect on small businesses but will not be a significant impact on small businesses. Many insurance agents are small businesses. This rule would minimally raise a biennial fee by $5 per year for resident agents and $10 per year for nonresident agents. These increases are very small. In addition, the increased fees will cover the additional cost of agents being able to renew on-line and pay with a credit card.
The changes promote efficiency by eliminating paperwork that agents currently are required to complete, mainly in the licensing process.
For agents that are licensed in other states, the new billing procedures are uniform with the direction others states are going. After all states adopt the new procedures, Wisconsin agents will be able to deal with licensing issues in all states on a more uniform basis.
12. Agency contact person:
A copy of the full text of the proposed rule changes, analysis and fiscal estimate may be obtained from the WEB sites at:
http://oci.wi.gov/ocirules.htm or by contacting Inger Williams, OCI Services Section, at:
Phone: (608) 264-8110
Address: 125 South Webster St – 2nd Floor
Madison WI 53702
Mail: PO Box 7873, Madison WI 53707-7873
13. Place where comments are to be submitted and deadline for submission:
The deadline for submitting comments is 4:00 p.m. on the 14th day after the date for the hearing stated in the Notice of Hearing.
Mailing address:
Robert Luck
Legal Unit - OCI Rule Comment for Rule Ins 6
Office of the Commissioner of Insurance
PO Box 7873
Madison WI 53707-7873
Street address:
Robert Luck
Legal Unit - OCI Rule Comment for Rule Ins 6
Office of the Commissioner of Insurance
125 South Webster St – 2nd Floor
Madison WI 53702
Notice of Hearing
Technical College System
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to s.38.41, Stats., and interpreting ss.
20.292 (1) (eh) and
38.41, Stats., the Wisconsin Technical College System Board will hold a public hearing to consider creation of rules relating to training program grants.
Hearing Information
Date: January 4, 2006
Time: 1:30 p.m.
Location: Wis. Technical College System Office
345 West Washington Avenue
First Floor Meeting Room
Madison, Wisconsin
Analysis Prepared by the Wisconsin Technical College System Board
2. Statutory authority: Wis. Stats. s.
38.41.
3. Explanation of agency authority: Section
38.41 (4), Stats., authorizes the technical college system board to promulgate rules to implement and administer the awarding of grants to technical college district boards to provide skills training or other education related to the needs of business.
4. Related statute or rule: none
5. Plain language analysis: No grant award criteria are specified in statute. The purpose of the rule is to implement and administer the awarding of training program grants to technical college districts to provide skills training or other education related to the needs of business. To be eligible for grant awards, technical college districts will develop proposals with a business to provide skills training or education to improve employee skill levels, and workplace efficiency and productivity. Grant proposals will also be assessed for the extent to which the proposed training or education supports regional workforce and economic development efforts.
6. Summary of, and comparison with, existing or proposed federal regulations: not applicable
7. Comparison with rules in adjacent states: not applicable
8. Summary of factual data and analytical methodologies: not applicable
9. Analysis and supporting documents used to determine effect on small business or in preparation of economic impact report: not applicable
10. Effect on small business: Small businesses may access training or education through the training program grants, but there is no mandated participation in the program.
11. Agency contact person: Morna Foy, Executive Assistant, Wisconsin Technical College System, 345 W. Washington Ave, P.O. Box 7874, Madison, Wisconsin 53707-7874, telephone (608) 266-2449, e-mail
morna.foy@wtcsytem.edu.
It is the policy of the Wisconsin Technical College System Board (WTCSB) to provide accommodations to persons with disabilities which may affect their ability to access or participate in WTCS activities. Persons may request assistance or reasonable accommodation for the scheduled public hearing by contacting Morna Foy at (608) 266-2449 or accessing the telecommunications device for the deaf at (608) 267-2483 on or before December 28, 2005.
12. Place where comments are to be submitted and deadline for submission: Written comments will be accepted by the agency contact person listed above until 4:00 p.m. on January 4, 2006. Written comments will be given the same consideration as testimony presented at the hearing. People submitting comments will not receive individual responses.
TEXT OF RULE
Section 1. Chapter
TCS 17 (title) is created to read:
TRAINING PROGRAM GRANTS
TCS 17.01 PURPOSE. The purpose of this chapter is to establish procedures to implement and administer training grants to technical college districts to provide skills training or other education related to the needs of business s.
38.41, Stats.
TCS 17.02 DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
(1)
“Board" means the Technical College System Board established under ch. 15.94, Stats.
(2)
“District" means a technical college district established under ch.
38, Stats.
(3)
“District board" means the district board in charge of the technical colleges of a district.
(4)
“Instructional Materials, Software, and Equipment" means instructional materials, software and equipment to be directly used or consumed by the business employees during instructional activities.
(5)
“Staff Development" means learning activities that can be expressly designed to increase the expertise of a technical college district instructor who will deliver instruction described in the grant application.
(6)
“Technical college" means a Wisconsin technical college established under ch.
38, Stats.
TCS 17.03 GENERAL . (1) Only technical college districts are eligible to apply for grants funds under this chapter.
(2) The Board shall approve grant guidelines and may update as needed. The guidelines shall contain application instructions, requirements and procedures, application deadline dates, allowable uses of funds, and award limits.
TCS 17.04 GRANT APPLICATIONS. (1) At times established by the board, a district may submit a proposal for a grant to provide skills training or other education related to the needs of business.
(2) Each grant proposal shall include all of the following:
(a)
A description of the process used to identify both employee and company needs and the goals and expectations of the program.
(b)
A description of the nature of the business receiving training as well as their products and or services, including a description of the impact of the business on the local or regional economy.
(c) A description of the allowable activities to be funded by the grant.
(d) A standard financial report and detailed budget.
TCS 17.05 GRANT AWARD CRITERIA. When considering approval or disapproval of a grant award, the board shall consider:
(1) Whether the grant proposal has sufficient financial resources to successfully provide the training or education as proposed in the grant proposal.
(2) The extent to which the proposed training or education will improve employee skill levels, workplace efficiency and productivity.
(3) The extent to which the proposed training or education will improve the availability of services to businesses and promote an increased investment in the development of incumbent workers.
(4) The extent to which the proposed training or services support regional workforce and economic development efforts.
TCS 17.06 CONDITIONS OF THE GRANT AWARD. (1) District boards or employers receiving skills training or education under the grant shall contribute matching funds, other than in-kind matching funds, equal to at least 25% of total approved project costs.
(2) Grant award funds, including matching funds, may not be used for administration, marketing, or indirect costs.
(3) The board may establish limitations on the percentage of the grant award funds and matching funds that may be used to purchase or lease instructional materials, software, equipment or supply items and that may be used to fund staff development costs. Such limitations shall be specified in the grant guidelines approved by the board under TCS 17.02 (2).
TCS 17.07 REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. (1) A district receiving a grant under this chapter shall submit to the board data and information on the use and effect of grant funds as specified in the grant guidelines approved by the board under TCS 17.02 (2).
Proposed Effective Date
The proposed effective date for this rule is May 1, 2006.
Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
Not applicable.
Fiscal Estimate
These rules implement s.
38.41, Wis. Stats., which requires the technical college system board to establish administrative rules to implement and administer training program grants.
The functions required by these rules can be absorbed within existing staff. Therefore, there is no fiscal effect on the agency. A fiscal estimate based on the fiscal effect of the authorizing statute may be obtained from the Wisconsin Technical College System Board upon request.
Notice of Hearing
