Relating to: state contribution towards certain federally financed election administration costs and making appropriations.
Passage:
Ayes: 6 - Representatives Freese, Gundrum, Grothman, J. Wood, Travis and Pocan.
Noes: 0.
To joint committee on Finance.
Stephen Freese
Chairperson
Committee on Campaigns and Elections
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Executive Communications
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
Madison
October 22, 2003
To the Honorable Members of the Assembly:
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 263October 22, 2003
Respectfully submitted,
James Doyle
Governor
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Speaker's Communications
October 23, 2003
Mr. Patrick Fuller
Chief Clerk
Wisconsin State Assembly
Room 208, Risser Justice Center
17 West Main Street
Madison, Wisconsin 53708
Dear Patrick:
A449
Pursuant to Assembly Rule
42 (3)(c), I am withdrawing
Assembly Bill 531 from the Assembly Committee on Economic Development and re-referring it to the Joint Committee on Finance. I have the consent of Representative McCormick, chairman of the Assembly Committee on Economic Development, to take this action.
Please call Ellen Nowak of my office if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
John G. Gard
Speaker
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Communications
October 22, 2003
Patrick Fuller
Assembly Chief Clerk
Risser Justice Center - Room 208
Madison, WI 53708
Dear Chief Clerk Fuller:
I would like to be added as a co-sponsor of Assembly Bill 542 relating to carrying forward a school district's unused revenue limit authority to the succeeding school year.
Thank you for your timely assistance with this request.
Sincerely,
Mark D. Gundrum
State Representative
84th Assembly District
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Referral of Agency Reports
State of Wisconsin
Environmental Education Board
Madison
September 2003
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
The 2001-2003 period saw a number of changes to the Wisconsin Environmental Education Board and its programs.
As the WEEB strives to incorporate new initiatives, it continues to work diligently to provide opportunities for Wisconsin residents to learn about the importance of creating and maintaining sustainable economic and ecological environments in the state. This report provides an overview of the projects that have been made possible over the last two years by the WEEB grant program. The diversity of projects attests to the many venues of daily life environmental education permeates. Environmental education ensures our Wisconsin heritage of concern and stewardship for our environment will continue for generations to come.
If, as you review this report, questions arise, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Rick Koziel
Chairperson
Referred to committee on Natural Resources.
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Agency Reports
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
Madison
October 21, 2003
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
At the request of several legislators, we have conducted a review of state efforts to combat chronic wasting disease (CWD), a fatal neurological disease that affects members of the deer family. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has primary responsibility for coordinating CWD management efforts in Wisconsin, in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
(DATCP), the Department of Health and Family Services, and the University of Wisconsin. Through fiscal year (FY) 2002-03, we estimate these state agencies spent a total of $14.7 million combating the disease. The majority of expenditures - 64.9 percent - supported the salaries and benefits of an estimated 122.8 full-time equivalent employees dedicated to CWD efforts in FY 2002-03.
DNR had the largest share of CWD-related expenditures. Its spending totaled $12.6 million, including $4.0 million for the collection and extraction of deer tissue and for constructing and modifying facilities in which to conduct this work. At $2.0 million, costs associated with herd reduction and carcass disposal represented the second-largest expenditure category. In addition, DATCP spent a total of $1.1 million on CWD activities, primarily for regulating and preventing disease among farm-raised deer; the University of Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory spent $924,000 to test deer tissue for the presence of CWD; and the Department of Health and Family Services spent $49,000 to review potential links between CWD and a related disease in humans.
A number of questions regarding efforts to contain CWD will need to be addressed in the future, including how best to ensure the effectiveness of herd depopulation efforts, ensure cooperation between DNR and DATCP in the regulation of farm-raised deer, make the greatest use of a new tissue digester that will likely provide a less-costly means of disposal than incineration, and ensure the most appropriate allocation of limited resources.
I hope you find this information helpful. We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by DNR, DATCP, the Department of Health and Family Services, and the University of Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.
Sincerely,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
Representative Vrakas asked unanimous consent for a leave of absence for part of today's session for Representatives Jeskewitz, Powers, Seratti and Stone. Granted.
Representative Turner asked unanimous consent for a leave of absence for part of today's session for Representatives Coggs, Van Akkeren, A. Williams and Zepnick. Granted.
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Assembly Bill 183
Relating to: school district youth options programs, which allow pupils to attend an institution of higher education under certain circumstances.
Representative Foti asked unanimous consent that the rules be suspended and that Assembly Bill 183 be withdrawn from the committee on Rules and placed on today's calendar. Granted.
Assembly Bill 279
Relating to: creating a rebuttable presumption against awarding a parent joint or sole legal custody if the court finds that the parent has engaged in a pattern or serious incident of abuse, requiring a guardian ad litem and a mediator to have training related to domestic violence, and requiring a guardian ad litem to investigate and a mediator to inquire whether a party in an action affecting the family engaged in domestic violence.
Representative Foti asked unanimous consent that the rules be suspended and that Assembly Bill 279 be withdrawn from the committee on Judiciary and placed on today's calendar. Granted.
Assembly Bill 331
Relating to: salaries paid to members of the board of school directors of a 1st class city school district.
Representative Foti asked unanimous consent that the rules be suspended and that Assembly Bill 331 be withdrawn from the joint committee on Finance and placed on today's calendar. Granted.
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Representative Vrakas asked unanimous consent that the Assembly stand recessed. Granted.
The Assembly stood recessed.
