Thursday, January 27, 2005
10:00 A.M.
Ninety-Seventh Regular Session
The Senate met.
The Senate was called to order by Senator Jon Erpenbach.
The Chair, with unanimous consent, asked that the proper entries be made in the journal.
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The Chief Clerk makes the following entries dated Tuesday, January 25, 2005.
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By Patrick E. Fuller, chief clerk.
Mr. President:
I am directed to inform you that the Assembly has concurred in:
Senate Joint Resolution
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Read first time and referred:
Senate Bill 29
Relating to: increasing the amount of the individual income tax personal exemption for certain older taxpayers.
By
Senators
Kedzie, Lazich, A. Lasee, Roessler, Leibham, Kanavas, Stepp and Lassa; cosponsored by Representatives Kerkman, Gronemus, Lothian, Hines, Nass, Jeskewitz, Davis, Pettis, Nischke, Krawczyk, Freese, Kreibich, Bies, Gunderson, Townsend, Honadel, Albers, Mursau, Loeffelholz, Van Roy, Vrakas, Ott and Towns.
To committee on Job Creation, Economic Development and Consumer Affairs.
Senate Bill 30
Relating to: exempting from taxation retirement plan income received by an individual.
By
Senators
Kedzie, Roessler, Lazich, A. Lasee, Leibham, Kanavas, S. Fitzgerald, Stepp and Lassa; cosponsored by Representatives Owens, Nass, Kerkman, Gronemus, Lothian, Hines, Jeskewitz, Davis, Loeffelholz, Pettis, Jensen, LeMahieu, Musser, Nischke, Hahn, Petrowski, Kreibich, Underheim, Bies, Vos, Gunderson, Townsend, Albers, Mursau, Hundertmark, Meyer, Vrakas, Ott and Gundrum.
To committee on Job Creation, Economic Development and Consumer Affairs.
Senate Bill 31
Relating to: increasing the amount of the individual income tax subtract modification for social security benefits.
By
Senators
Kedzie, Lazich, Darling, A. Lasee, Roessler, Leibham, Kanavas, Stepp, Harsdorf and Lassa; cosponsored by Representatives Kerkman, Gronemus, Hines, Nass, Jeskewitz, Davis, Pettis, Jensen, Musser, Kreibich, Krawczyk, Freese, Hahn, Gielow, Petrowski, Owens, Bies, Vos, Gunderson, Townsend, Honadel, Mursau, Hundertmark, Meyer, Vrakas and Ott.
To committee on Job Creation, Economic Development and Consumer Affairs.
Senate Bill 32
Relating to: child safety restraint systems, safety belt use requirements in motor vehicles, creating a Child Safety Restraint System Program, creating a safety restraint enforcement surcharge, granting rule-making authority, making an appropriation, and providing a penalty.
By
Senators
Roessler, Robson, Risser, Brown, A. Lasee, Lassa, Olsen and Wirch; cosponsored by Representatives Petrowski, Suder, Wasserman, Ainsworth, Bies, Jensen, Kreibich, Lehman, McCormick, Molepske, Musser, Nass, Ott, Pope-Roberts, Shilling, Sinicki, Stone and Van Roy.
To committee on Health, Children, Families, Aging and Long Term Care.
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State of Wisconsin
January 20, 2005
The Honorable, The Senate:
This letter is to advise that I am appointing Senator Olsen to serve as my designee on the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority for the 2005-2006 legislative session.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any further questions.
Sincerely,
senator scott fitzgerald
Co-Chair, Joint Committee on Finance
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
January 27, 2005
The Honorable, The Legislature:
As requested by the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, we have completed an evaluation of the process by which the Department of Health and Family Services (DHFS) determines eligibility for the SeniorCare program, which provides subsidized prescription drug benefits to individuals who are 65 or older. A similar review of eligibility determinations for the Medical Assistance and BadgerCare programs was provided in report 04-11, released in September 2004.
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SeniorCare operates under the terms of a federal waiver, which allows states to receive federal Medical Assistance matching funds to provide program services. Only four states operate programs under this waiver, and Wisconsin's is the most comprehensive, both in terms of program eligibility and in benefits provided. In fiscal year (FY) 2004-05, the SeniorCare budget is $117.4 million, including $40.1 million in general purpose revenue. In June 2004, a total of 90,211 individuals were enrolled in the program.
Individuals apply for SeniorCare by mail. The application form requests an estimate of their income over the next 12-month period; no income verification is required. To determine the degree to which income is accurately reported, we reviewed a randomly selected sample of 1,000 applications approved in 2003. Participants were placed in the correct benefit level in 82.5 percent of the cases we reviewed. However, underestimated or under-reported income led to cost-sharing requirements that were lower than appropriate in 11.9 percent of cases. The opposite was true in 2.3 percent of cases. We were unable to determine actual income in 3.3 percent of the cases. Had placements been made in accordance with participants' actual income, we estimate annual net program savings of $6.9 million, which includes $3.0 million in general purpose revenue.
Given the under-reporting of income in our sample, we recommend DHFS increase its efforts to prevent, identify, and correct participant errors in income reporting. In addition, we recommend DHFS establish procedures for recovering SeniorCare benefits paid in error, as it is required to do under administrative rule.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by DHFS staff in conducting this review.
Sincerely,
janice mueller
State Auditor
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
January 27, 2005
The Honorable, The Legislature:
We have completed a financial audit of WHA Radio, as requested by the University of Wisconsin-Extension to fulfill the audit requirements of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The Corporation requires audited financial statements of public broadcasting entities to determine future funding levels.
