The following bill, originating in the Assembly, has been approved, signed and deposited in the office of the Secretary of State:
Bill Number Act Number Date Approved
Assembly Bill 74243February 12, 2002
Respectfully submitted,
Scott McCallum
Governor
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Speaker's Communications
February 12, 2002
The Honorable John Scocos
Assembly Chief Clerk
Dear Chief Clerk:
As Assembly Speaker, I have created from the Committee on Natural Resources the Select Subcommittee on Boating Recreation Safety. The subcommittee shall report to the committee on legislation and issues relating to the personal safety of youth on recreational boats and watercraft. Additionally, I have appointed Representatives Krawczyk - chair, Pettis - vice-chair, and Gronemus to the subcommittee.
Please afford them all due consideration and accommodations by custom and rule. If you have any questions, please contact Adam Peer in my office.
Sincerely,
Scott R. Jensen
Assembly Speaker
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Communications
February 8, 2002
John Scocos
Assembly Chief Clerk
Dear John:
I wish to have my name added as a co-sponsor of Assembly Resolution 51.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Spencer Black
State Representative
Referral of Agency Reports
State of Wisconsin
Department of Health and Family Services
Madison
February 6, 2002
To the Honorable, the Assembly:
The Department of Health and Family Services is pleased to submit to the Governor and the Legislature the Guide to Wisconsin Hospitals, Fiscal Year 2000. The data for this report were collected under section 153.05, Wisconsin Statutes, and are published as authorized by the requirements of section 120.21, Wisconsin Administrative Code.
The report provides summary and detailed information about fiscal, utilization, and staffing data at Wisconsin hospitals, and sets forth comparisons among hospitals of increases or decreases in gross revenues, net revenue, and expenditures.
Sincerely,
Phyllis J. Dube
Secretary
Referred to committee on Health.
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State of Wisconsin
Department of Corrections
Bureau of Correctional Enterprises
Madison
February 2002
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
This year we saw the Bureau's implementation of a proactive public relations plan. In an effort to increase public understanding of and support for the positive goals and benefits of inmate work programs, the Bureau working with Wisconsin Public Television, created Partnerships for Success. This educational video focuses on how the Bureau's work programs benefit the state, the environment and the inmates.
The 2001 Annual Report provides an overview of the video. If interested, contact the Bureau for a presentation of the video; they look forward to telling their story.
I also want to take this opportunity to thank the dedicated staff and inmate employees of the Bureau. Their commitment to providing quality products and superior customer service is evident in their many successes.
It is a pleasure to introduce this year's Annual Report. As always, we look forward to your comments.
Sincerely,
Jon E. Litscher
Secretary
Referred to committee on Corrections and the Courts.
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Agency Reports
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
Madison
February 12, 2002
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
As requested by the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, we have completed an evaluation of the Forestry Account, which supports forestry and other activities in the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and eight other state agencies. In fiscal year (FY) 2000-01, revenues deposited to this account totaled $69.0 million. Over 80 percent of these revenues were generated by a statewide forestry mill tax of $0.20 per $1,000 of property value, which is imposed on all owners of taxable property. The forestry mill tax is the only property tax levied by the State.
Revenues from the Forestry Account support a variety of activities designed to protect and enhance the 16.0 million acres of private and public forestland in Wisconsin. Most Forestry Account expenditures are for forestry activities such as forest fire prevention and control and assisting with management of county forests. However, a substantial amount of Forestry Account expenditures also fund DNR administrative costs. In FY 2000-01, $18.7 million was spent for administration, representing 27.8 percent of DNR's Forestry Account expenditures. This total included $6.5 million in administrative costs for forestry activities, which was charged directly to the Forestry Account, and $12.2 million in department-wide administration and support services costs. DNR expenditures from the Forestry Account supported a total of 644.1 full-time equivalent DNR employees, of which 449.7 worked directly in support of forestry activities. We note $4.5 million in Forestry Account expenditures by DNR and other state agencies supported programs that had no direct relationship to forestry.
The Managed Forest Law program provides property tax relief to owners of forestland in exchange for commitments to implement sound forestry practices on their land. The program has grown rapidly: applications increased from 1,831 in 1997 to 3,251 in 2001, or by 77.6 percent. As a result of Managed Forest Law program growth, DNR staff have not been able to address their ongoing management responsibilities and, as of August 2, 2001, over 12,000 practices related to sound forest management on 187,165 acres had not been completed in the years specified by the forestry management plans. The increasing number of program participants has also increased DNR's workload. In 2001, the Legislature authorized 23.0 additional full-time equivalent positions to address ongoing workload concerns.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by the Department of Natural Resources. The Department's response is Appendix 4.
Respectfully submitted,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
