Wednesday, July 9, 2003
Ninety-Sixth Regular Session
__________________
The Chief Clerk makes the following entries dated July 7, 2003 :
__________________
The Chief Clerk records:
Senate Bill 77
Report correctly enrolled on July 7, 2003.
__________________
The Chief Clerk makes the following entries under the above date.
__________________
Read and referred:
Senate Bill 208
Relating to: a sales tax and use tax exemption for military services flags, POW/MIA flags, and flag kits.
By
Senators
Roessler, A. Lasee, S. Fitzgerald, Zien and Schultz; cosponsored by Representatives Vrakas, Freese, Suder, Owens, Gronemus, J. Fitzgerald, Van Roy, McCormick, Petrowski, Seratti, Ott, Kreibich, Krawczyk, Taylor, Loeffelholz, Pettis and Berceau.
To joint survey committee on Tax Exemptions.
Senate Bill 209
Relating to: regulating athlete agents, granting rule-making authority, making an appropriation, and providing penalties.
By
Senators
Kanavas, Roessler, Plale, Erpenbach, Schultz and Risser; cosponsored by Representatives Wieckert, Vukmir, M. Lehman, Ott, Jeskewitz, Hines, Owens, Albers, Gronemus, Colon, Miller, Olsen, Hahn, Gielow, Kreibich, Pettis, J. Lehman, Townsend, Vrakas, Van Roy, Musser, Gunderson, Lothian, Shilling, Pocan and Taylor.
To committee on Higher Education and Tourism.
__________________
State of Wisconsin
July 2, 2003
The Honorable, The Senate:
I have been honored by the members of the State Senate to serve as Chief Clerk of the Wisconsin State Senate. The privilege of serving the men and women elected to represent the people of this State in the legislature and all of the people in the State of Wisconsin is a wonderful, rewarding and unique experience. I have been fortunate to work with those who believed in and are dedicated to a strong, effective and independent legislature with the capacity to address the issues of society today.
The time has now arrived for me to pursue other interests. Therefore, I am resigning my position as Chief Clerk of the Senate effective July 4, 2003.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Schneider
Senate Chief Clerk
State of Wisconsin
Department of Health and Family Services
July 7, 2003
The Honorable, The Senate:
As required by s.
252.04(11), Wis. Stats., enclosed is the Annual Statewide Immunization Program Report. Please distribute this report to the appropriate standing committees.
Sincerely,
Helene Nelson
Secretary
Referred to committee on Health, Children, Families, Aging and Long Term Care.
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
July 9, 2003
The Honorable, The Senate:
The Department of Employee Trust Funds (ETF) and the Investment Board are partners in administering the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS). As part of this relationship, ETF relies on investment information the Investment Board provides to properly report WRS investment and returns. During our audit of ETF's 2001 financial statements, we found that an error in information the Investment Board provided ETF resulted in a significant error in the crediting and reporting of the investment account balances for the Milwaukee Retirement Systems, which invest in the WRS investment trust funds. The balances in the Milwaukee Retirement Systems were overstated by a total of $3.87 million for the period February 2001 through January 2003. The investment balance for the Milwaukee Schools Retirement System was adjusted for its overage, while ETF is attempting to recover funds from the City of Milwaukee Retirement System, which had discontinued its investments in the WRS funds as of June 2002.
The error occurred as the result of human error by Investment Board staff in transcribing information from its custodial bank. However, ETF may have been able to detect the error earlier if it had been more diligent in reviewing information in its financial reports. Further, the error demonstrates a need for additional care and collaboration by both agencies in ensuring that information is correctly calculated and communicated. Both the Investment Board and ETF have responded quickly to correct the error and to take steps to prevent similar errors from occurring in the future.
S266
A more detailed description of the error and the responses from the Investment Board and ETF on their plans to implement recommendations are attached.
Sincerely,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
State of Wisconsin
Ethics Board
July 8, 2003
To 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 2001 session of the legislature, visit the Ethics Board's web site at
http://ethics.state.wi.us
Badeau, Jennifer Petroleum Marketers Assn of WI / WI Assn of Convenience Stores
Brosnan, Sharon Thrivent Financial for Lutherans
