Committee on Information Policy
The committee on Veterans and Military Affairs reports and recommends:
Assembly Bill 340
Relating to: restrictions on issuing operator's licenses, state employment and student financial assistance based on failure to register with the selective service system.
Passage:
Ayes: 9 - Representatives Musser, Hundertmark, Pettis, Sykora, Petrowski, Ryba, Boyle, Kreuser and Plouff.
Noes: 0.
To joint committee on Finance.
Assembly Bill 448
Relating to: Vietnam veteran eligibility for veterans benefits.
Passage:
Ayes: 9 - Representatives Musser, Hundertmark, Pettis, Sykora, Petrowski, Ryba, Boyle, Kreuser and Plouff.
Noes: 0.
To committee on Rules.
Assembly Joint Resolution 47
Relating to: calling upon the U.S. Congress to investigate the attack on the U.S.S. Liberty.
Assembly substitute amendment 1 adoption:
Ayes: 9 - Representatives Musser, Hundertmark, Pettis, Sykora, Petrowski, Ryba, Boyle, Kreuser and Plouff.
Noes: 0.
Adoption as amended:
Ayes: 9 - Representatives Musser, Hundertmark, Pettis, Sykora, Petrowski, Ryba, Boyle, Kreuser and Plouff.
Noes: 0.
To committee on Rules.
Assembly Joint Resolution 72
Relating to: urging Congress to raise the amount of a veteran's pension paid to a surviving spouse.
Adoption:
Ayes: 9 - Representatives Musser, Hundertmark, Pettis, Sykora, Petrowski, Ryba, Boyle, Kreuser and Plouff.
Noes: 0.
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To committee on Rules.
Terry Musser
Chairperson
Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs
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Referral of Agency Reports
State of Wisconsin
Department of Health and Family Services
Madison
July 1, 1999
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
The Bureau of Health Information is pleased to submit to the Governor and to the Legislature the quarterly
Health Care Data Report. The data for this report were collected under Chapter
153, Wisconsin Statutes, and published as authorized by the Board of Health Care Information. This report is based on hospital inpatient discharge data reported to the Bureau of Health Information by all operating general medical-surgical and specialty hospitals in Wisconsin for the first, second and third quarter of 1998. It also contains selected ambulatory surgery utilization and charge data from general medical-surgical hospitals and freestanding ambulatory surgery centers in Wisconsin during the same period.
Sincerely,
Barbara A. Rudolph, Ph.D.,
Director, Bureau of Health Information
Referred to committee on Health.
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State of Wisconsin
Public Service Commission
Madison
September 23, 1999
RE: Report to the Legislature Regarding Alliant Energy Corporation
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
In February 1999, a report that covered the financial operations of WPL Holdings, Inc. (WPLH) through 1997, as required by Wis. Stat. sec. 196.795(7)(ar), was sent to the Legislature for distribution under Wis. Stats. 13.172(2).
In April 1998, WPLH merged with two Iowa companies to form the holding company that has now been renamed Alliant Energy Corporation (AEC). The enclosed audit report on the 1998 operations of AEC was prepared at the Commission's direction to supplement the report sent earlier this year.
As noted on page 12 of this report, the Commission staff is continuing to work with AEC to determine if all of the nonutility affiliates (detailed in Appendix C) comply with Wis. Stat. sec. 196.795(7), and will be updating the Commission on its findings.
Sincerely,
Lynda L. Dorr
Secretary of the Commission
Referred to committee on Utilities.
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Agency Reports
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
Madison
September 23, 1999
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
We have completed a review of local transit systems' contracts with University of Wisconsin (UW) campuses, as directed by
1997 Wisconsin Act 27. While 16 UW campuses are currently served by mass transit systems, only the two largest campuses, UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee, have contracted for extensive service through bus pass programs that allow students unlimited access to local bus routes.
UW-Milwaukee first contracted for a student bus pass program in the 1994-95 academic year. Since the program's inception, costs have increased by 33.4 percent, from $1,152,000 in the 1994-95 academic year to $1,537,000 in 1998-99. In four of the five years since the program began, contract revenues and revenue from state and federal aid fully covered program costs.
UW-Madison's student bus pass program began in the 1996-97 academic year. Excluding start-up expenses, costs have increased by less than one percent, from $1,377,000 in 1996-97 to $1,385,000 in 1998-99. Contract and aid revenues fell short of costs in each year, and the amount of the estimated shortfall was $111,000 in 1998-99. Local revenues have made up the shortfall.
Transit system and UW representatives believe the student bus pass programs have many benefits, including increasing bus ridership, alleviating parking concerns, and reducing traffic congestion. However, affected local communities may wish to re-evaluate the continuing use of local revenue to support these programs, taking into account both their costs and the local benefits they provide. Similarly, the Legislature may wish to note its contribution to these programs. In 1998-99, $387,000 in state and federal mass transit aid was used to support the cost of UW-Milwaukee's and UW-Madison's student bus pass programs, and an additional $1,380,000 in state and federal aid was used to support an intra-campus bus route operating exclusively on the UW-Madison campus.
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We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by the Milwaukee County Transit System, Madison Metro Transit System, and other systems throughout the state, as well as officials from UW-Milwaukee, UW-Madison, and other campuses. Responses have been provided by the University of Wisconsin and the Madison Metro Transit System; they are Appendices I and II.
Respectfully submitted,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
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Representative Vrakas asked unanimous consent that the Assembly stand recessed. Granted.
The Assembly stood recessed.
10:05 A.M.
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12:01 P.M.
The Assembly reconvened.
Representative Duff in the chair.
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Representative Vrakas asked unanimous consent for a leave of absence for Representative Ladwig for part of today's session. Granted.
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Assembly Joint Resolution 45
Relating to: memorializing Congress to not reduce the number of beds for intensive care and surgery at the Veteran's Administration's Medical Center at Iron Mountain, Michigan.
The question was: Shall Assembly Joint Resolution
45 be adopted?
Motion carried.
Representative Vrakas asked unanimous consent that the rules be suspended and that Assembly Joint Resolution 45 be immediately messaged to the Senate. Granted.
Assembly Bill 234
Relating to: qualification of candidates for justice of the supreme court for grants from the Wisconsin election campaign fund, court fees and making an appropriation.
