Read and referred to committee on Health, Human Services, Insurance, and Job Creation.
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
April 22, 2008
The Honorable, The Senate:
I am pleased to nominate and with the advice and consent of the Senate, do appoint Peirick, Carol,
of Madison, as a member of the Health Insurance Risk-Sharing Plan Authority, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2011.
Respectfully submitted,
JIM DOYLE
Governor
Read and referred to committee on Health, Human Services, Insurance, and Job Creation.
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
April 22, 2008
The Honorable, The Senate:
I am pleased to nominate and with the advice and consent of the Senate, do appoint Shaver, Dale,
of Waukesha, as a member of the Waste Facilities Siting Board, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2011.
Respectfully submitted,
JIM DOYLE
Governor
Read and referred to committee on Environment and Natural Resources.
__________________
The Chief Clerk makes the following entries dated Tuesday, April 29, 2008.
__________________
The committee on Veterans and Military Affairs, Biotechnology and Financial Institutions reports and recommends:
Relating to small business enforcement discretion.
No action taken.
Jim Sullivan
Chairperson
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Reference Bureau
April
30
, 2008
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
The following rules have been published in the April 30, 2008 Wisconsin Administrative
Register No. 628:
Clearinghouse Rules Effective Date(s)
06-005
9-1-2008
07-008
5-1-2008
07-035
5-1-2008
07-037
5-1-2008
07-040
5-1-2008
07-045
5-1-2008
07-075
5-1-2008
07-087
5-1-2008
Sincerely,
BRUCE J. HOESLY
Senior Legislative Attorney/Code Editor
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
April 15, 2008
The Honorable, The Legislature:
We have completed a best practices review of local government operations, as directed by s.
13.94(8), Wis. Stats. This report focuses on public library services provided by Wisconsin's municipalities and counties, with support from the Department of Public Instruction (DPI). Wisconsin has 388 public libraries, which are funded primarily with municipal and county taxes, as well as 17 regional library systems supported by state aid. These libraries and systems employed more than 3,200 full-time equivalent staff in 2006, when their operating expenditures totaled $210.4 million.
The 17 regional library systems are statutorily required to provide specific services, such as interlibrary loans of materials, reference assistance, and consulting services to member libraries. Consulting services include assistance with promoting library use, addressing the needs of users with special needs, and evaluating current and future building and space requirements. The regional library systems also provide libraries with technology support, which includes troubleshooting and consulting for purchases of software and hardware. More than one-half of the libraries we surveyed indicated an online catalog is the most valuable service provided by their regional library system.
Through surveys and interviews with the directors of individual libraries and all 17 regional library systems, we identified best practices related to collaboration among systems, effectively using volunteers, securing adequate technology support, and periodically assessing patron needs.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by DPI, the regional library system directors, and the many public library directors who responded to our survey and our additional requests for information.
Respectfully submitted,
janice mueller
State Auditor
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
April 18, 2008
The Honorable, The Legislature:
We have completed a review of dental care services provided under the State's Medical Assistance program, as requested by the Joint Legislative Audit Committee. Dentists statewide have long expressed concern about the amounts they are reimbursed under the program. In fiscal year (FY) 2006-07, when approximately $46.0 million was spent for dental services provided to Medical Assistance recipients, only 1,342 of 3,493 licensed dentists in Wisconsin, or 38.4 percent, were certified as Medical Assistance providers statewide.
We focused our analysis on four counties in southeast Wisconsin in which dental services are provided to Medical Assistance recipients through health maintenance organizations (HMOs). We found lower utilization of dental care services among HMO enrollees, particularly for those under the age of 21, and higher costs than in the fee-for-service system used in other counties. Furthermore, HMO utilization rates have not improved in the past five years. We therefore include a recommendation for the Department of Health and Family Services (DHFS), which administers the Medical Assistance program, to develop alternative dental service delivery models for southeast Wisconsin before current contracts expire in December 2009.
The Legislature has recently funded alternative programs to improve dental care services to low-income and underserved populations in varied settings, including federally funded community health centers. For example, since FY 2005-06 it has appropriated $16.3 million in general purpose revenue for various dental clinics and programs. In December 2006 the Joint Committee on Finance approved the distribution of $4.1 million in federal funds as one-time grants to expand dental services provided through specific clinics and programs statewide.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation of DHFS and other parties with whom we met in conducting this review.
Sincerely,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Government Accountability Board
April 29, 2008
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 2007-2008 session of the legislature, visit the Government Accountability Board's web site at
http://ethics.state.wi.us/
Alig, Joanne Wisconsin Association of Health Plans
Glenn, Deb Park Towne Management, Inc.
Leonard, Ramie Electronic Data Systems Corporation (EDS)
McIntosh, Forbes Electronic Data Systems Corporation (EDS)
Ring, Jim Park Towne Management, Inc.
White, Bill Park Towne Management, Inc.
S785
Also available from the Wisconsin Government Accountability 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 organizations that employ lobbyists.
Sincerely,
Kevin Kennedy
Director and General Counsel
__________________
Motions Under Senate Rule 98 and Joint Rule 7
for the Month of March 2008
