Tuesday, April 11, 2000
10:00 A.M.
Ninety-Fourth Regular Session
The Senate met.
The Senate was called to order by Senator Fred Risser.
The Chair, with unanimous consent, asked that the proper entries be made in the journal.
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Secretary of State
To the Honorable, the Senate:
Sincerely,
Douglas La follette
Secretary of State
State of Wisconsin
Department of Health and Family Services
February 2000
The Honorable, The Legislature:
The Bureau of Health Information is pleased to submit to the governor and to the Legislature the
Uncompensated Health Care Report for fiscal year 1997. The data for this report were collected under Section
153.05, Wisconsin Statutes, and are published as authorized by the requirements of section 150.20, Wisconsin Statutes. This report is based on annual hospital utilization and staffing, fiscal, and uncompensated data reported to the Bureau of Health Information by all operating general medical-surgical and specialty hospitals in Wisconsin.
This report sets forth the total charges for charity care, bad debt, and total uncompensated health care for fiscal year 1997. It also shows the projected number of patients and the projected charges for charity care, bad debt, and total uncompensated health care in fiscal year 1998.
Sincerely,
Barbara A. Rudolph, Ph.D., Director
Bureau of Health Information
State of Wisconsin
Medical College of Wisconsin
April 7, 2000
The Honorable, The Senate:
Enclosed is the biennial report of the Medical College of Wisconsin, prepared according to the statutory requirement under section 13.106. This report covers the period ending July 31, 1999, and contains information in the following areas:
• minority student recruitment policies and programs, and the number of minority students enrolled
• number and percentages of Wisconsin residents enrolled
• average faculty salaries compared to national averages
• development of cooperative educational programs with other institutions throughout the state
• placement of graduates of doctor of medicine and residency training programs
• cost of undergraduate medical education for fiscal years 1995/1997.
Please feel free to contact me at (414) 456-8217 if you have any questions or would like additional information.
Sincerely,
Donna K. Gissen
Assistant Vice President
Planning and Government Affairs
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
April 5, 2000
The Honorable, The Legislature:
We have completed a review of the Environmental Cooperation Pilot Program, which was established by
1997 Wisconsin Act 27. The program, operated by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), is intended to provide increased flexibility for facilities in complying with environmental regulations, while maintaining existing levels of environmental protection. The Legislative Audit Bureau is directed to monitor and report annually on the program.
The program allows DNR to sign cooperative agreements with facility owners and operators. No cooperative agreements were established in the program's first two years. However, in March 1999, the Department and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) signed a formal agreement stating that facilities that enter into cooperative agreements will not be subject to different EPA requirements at a later date. DNR staff believe the agreement with the EPA will encourage more facilities to consider developing cooperative agreements. Seven facilities have submitted letters of intent to join the program, and the DNR expects to sign two cooperative agreements by the summer of 2000.
Because of the limited activity in the program during its first two years, it is too early to assess its effectiveness. We will, however, continue to monitor it and issue a report in early 2001.
Sincerely,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
Ethics Board
April 4, 2000
The Honorable, The Senate:
The following lobbyists have been authorized to act on behalf of the organizations set opposite their names.
For more detailed information about these lobbyists and organizations and a complete list of organizations and people authorized to lobby the 1999 session of the legislature, visit the Ethics Board's web site at
http://ethics.state.wi.us
Hanson, David American Transmission Company LLC
Julius, Buddy Metropolitan Association of Realtors
Mohrman, Christopher American Transmission Company LLC
Petak, George PG&E Generating Company (formerly U.S. Generating Company)
Ruzicka, Mike Metropolitan Association of Realtors
Taylor, Chad American Transmission Company LLC
Whyte, Daniel PG&E Generating Company (formerly U.S. Generating Company)
Also available from the Wisconsin Ethics Board are reports identifying the amount and value of time state agencies have spent to affect legislative action and reports of expenditures for lobbying activities filed by the organizations that employ lobbyists.
