Relating to: a development opportunity zone for the city of Beloit.
Assembly Amendment 1 adoption:
Ayes: 12 - Representatives Williams, Endsley, Stone, Klenke, Knilans, Kuglitsch, Loudenbeck, Molepske Jr, Bernard Schaber, Fields, Toles and Mason.
Passage as amended:
Ayes: 12 - Representatives Williams, Endsley, Stone, Klenke, Knilans, Kuglitsch, Loudenbeck, Molepske Jr, Bernard Schaber, Fields, Toles and Mason.
Noes: 0.
To committee on Rules.
Assembly Bill 53
Relating to: authorizing the creation of additional enterprise zones.
Assembly Amendment 1 adoption:
Ayes: 10 - Representatives Williams, Endsley, Stone, Klenke, Knilans, Kuglitsch, Loudenbeck, Molepske Jr, Bernard Schaber and Fields.
Noes: 2 - Representatives Toles and Mason.
Passage as amended:
Ayes: 12 - Representatives Williams, Endsley, Stone, Klenke, Knilans, Kuglitsch, Loudenbeck, Molepske Jr, Bernard Schaber, Fields, Toles and Mason.
Noes: 0.
To committee on Rules.
Mary Williams
Chairperson
Committee on Jobs, Economy and Small Business
__________________
Speaker's Communications
DATE: March 31, 2011
TO: Peter Barca, Assembly Minority Leader
FROM: Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald
RE: Committee Change
Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald has approved your request to name Representative Mark Pocan to serve on both the Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities and the Committee on Urban and Local Affairs. Representative Pocan will replace Representative Gordon Hintz.
__________________
Referral of Agency Reports
State of Wisconsin
Department of Administration
Madison
March 31, 2011
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
A210
This report is transmitted as required by s.
20.002 (11)(f), Wisconsin Statutes, (for distribution to the appropriate standing committees under s.
13.172 (3), Wisconsin Statutes) and confirms that the Department of Administration has found it necessary to exercise the "temporary reallocation of balances" authority provided by this section in order to meet payment responsibilities and cover resulting negative cash balances during the month of February 2011.
On February 1, 2011, the Medical Assistance Trust Fund cash balance closed at a negative $199.5 million (its intra-month low). This negative balance continued through February 28, 2011, when the fund's cash balance closed at a negative $194.7 million.
On February 1, 2011, the Police and Fire Protection Fund cash balance closed at a negative $34.1 million (its intra-month low). This negative balance continued through February 28, 2011, when the fund's cash balance closed at a negative $30.0 million.
On February 1, 2011, the Conservation Fund cash balance closed at a negative $14.5 million. This negative balance continued through February 28, 2011, when the fund's cash balance closed at a negative $22.5 million. The Conservation Fund cash balance reached its intra-month low of a negative $31.3 million on February 24, 2011.
On February 1, 2011, the Democracy Trust Fund cash balance closed at a negative $300 thousand. This negative balance continued through February 28, 2011, when the fund's cash balance closed at a negative $901 thousand (its intra-month low).
On February 22, 2011, the Support Collections Trust Fund cash balance closed at a negative $2.6 million. This negative balance continued intermittently through February 28, 2011, when the fund's cash balance closed at a negative $1.1 million. The Support Collections Trust Fund cash balance reached its intra-month low of a negative $3.3 million on February 23, 2011.
The Medical Assistance Trust Fund, Police and Fire Protection Fund, Conservation Fund, Democracy Trust Fund, and Support Collections Trust fund shortfalls were due to the difference in the timing of revenues and expenditures, were not in excess of the statutory interfund borrowing limitations and did not exceed the balances of the funds available for interfund borrowing.
The distribution of interest earnings to investment pool participants is based on the average daily balance in the pool and each fund's share. Therefore, the monthly calculation by the State Controller's Office will automatically reflect the use of these temporary reallocations of balance authority, and as a result, the funds requiring the use of the authority will effectively bear the interest cost.
Sincerely,
Mike Huebsch
Secretary
Referred to committee on Ways and Means and joint committee on Finance.
Agency Reports
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
Madison
March 31, 2011
To the Honorable, the Assembly:
In response to a 2010 request by the co-chairpersons of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, we have completed a limited-scope review of the Public Sector Safety Program, which, under authority granted by s.
101.055, Wis. Stats., establishes and enforces occupational safety and health standards for state and local government employees in Wisconsin. The standards are to provide protections at least equal to those granted to private sector employees under the federal law that created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). During the three year period we reviewed, the program was operated by the Department of Commerce. The Legislature is currently considering a proposal to reassign program responsibilities to the Department of Safety and Professional Services as part of the 2011-13 biennial budget bill.
In fiscal year (FY) 2009-10, the program was allocated 3.2 full-time equivalent inspection staff positions and spent a total of $436,200 to investigate workplace safety and health complaints, provide consultations related to workplace safety and health, and perform periodic inspections of public employees' workplaces. From FY 2007-08 through FY 2009-10, program staff investigated 30 of 44 complaints received and issued orders to correct concerns ranging from asbestos exposure and noncompliance with fire department safety and health standards to hazardous chemical exposure. Complaint investigations were generally timely, and program staff verified compliance with their correction orders.
Only limited data were available for assessing the frequency of workplace safety inspections or consultations that were not associated with complaints. Available data indicate that during the three-year period we reviewed, program staff conducted inspections or other visits to 102 public employers' workplaces, but the reason for each inspection or visit, its outcome, and the nature of any follow-up activity were not readily available. Based on our review, we believe program efficiency could be improved by using the existing information systems more effectively to record complete information on complaint status, timing, follow-up actions, and inspections.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by the Department of Commerce during the course of our review.
Sincerely,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
