Any business with land enrolled in either the Managed Forest Law or the Forest Crop Law or wishing to enroll land under the Managed Forest Law
Description of reporting or bookkeeping procedures required
No procedures not already required.
Description of professional skills required
No new skills are required.
Small Business Regulatory Coordinator
Environmental Analysis
NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that the Department has made a preliminary determination that this action does not involve significant adverse environmental effects and does not need an environmental analysis under ch.
NR 150, Wis. Adm. Code. However, based on the comments received, the Department may prepare an environmental analysis before proceeding with the proposal. This environmental review document would summarize the Department's consideration of the impacts of the proposal and reasonable alternatives.
Fiscal Estimate
Summary
This proposed rule change addresses the annual stumpage rate changes used in the calculation of severance and yield tax collections under Forest Cop Law (FCL) and Managed Forest Law (MFL) when timber is harvested from the private lands enrolled in the programs. Other changes proposed include are clarification and procedural and have no fiscal effect.
There is an estimated net increase in state revenues of approximately $2,400.00 due to the processing of MFL transfers.
There is an estimated net increase in local revenues of approximately $3,090.00 due to the changes in stumpage rates.
Timber prices have been stable over the past year. The proposed 2009 stumpage rate schedule includes an average 0.10% increase in sawtimber prices and an average 0.19% increase in cordwood prices. Prices of mixed products (combined sawlogs and pulpwood for red pine, white pine and spruce) decreased 0.14%. Of all total 629 prices calculated, 227 (36%) increased, 125 (20%) decreased and 277 (44%) stayed the same.
The severance and yield tax collected in CY 2006 was $2,078,390.00. Of this, 46% of the gross revenue was from sawtimber harvests. Fifty-four (54%) percent of the revenue was from cordwood harvests. There were no recorded mixed product sales in CY 2006. Based on the very small statewide increase in timber prices an estimated $3,090.00 will be collected for municipalities.
Estimates are based on the average change in rates across species and zone for each product type (cordwood, sawtimber and mixed), the volumes reported and paid for in CY 2006, and the assumption that the volume and the ratio of the cordwood and sawtimber will remain the same. Actual impact for a county and municipality will vary by the number of harvests completed and the actual species and products cut.
State fiscal effect
None
Types of local governmental units affected
Towns, Counties, Villages, Cities
Fund sources affected
SEG
Affected Chapter
20 Appropriations
Long-range fiscal implications
None
Notice of Hearing
Public Instruction
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN That pursuant to ss.
115.445 (2) (b) and
(3) and
227.11 (2) (a), Stats., and interpreting s.
115.445, Stats., the Department of Public Instruction will hold a public hearing as follows to consider emergency and proposed permanent rules creating Chapter
PI 16, relating to four-year-old kindergarten grants. The hearing will be held as follows:
Hearing Information
April 17, 2008 Madison
3:00 - 4:30 p.m. GEF 3 Building
125 South Webster Street
Room 041
The hearing site is fully accessible to people with disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodation to access any meeting, please contact Jill Haglund, Early Childhood Consultant at
jill.haglund@dpi.wi.gov, (608) 267-9625 or leave a message with the Teletypewriter (TTY) at (608) 267-2427 at least 10 days prior to the hearing date. Reasonable accommodation includes materials prepared in an alternative format, as provided under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Copy of Rule
Lori Slauson
Administrative Rules and Federal Grants Coordinator
Department of Public Instruction
125 South Webster Street
P.O. Box 7841
Madison, WI 53707
Submission of Written Comments
Written comments on the proposed rules received by Ms. Slauson at the above mail or email address no later than April 24, 2008, will be given the same consideration as testimony presented at the hearing.
Agency Contact Person
Analysis Prepared by Department of Public Instruction
Statute interpreted
Statutory authority
Explanation of agency authority
Section
115.445 (3), Stats., requires the department to promulgate rules to implement the program. Section
115.445 (2) (b), Stats., requires the department to define "community approaches to early education" as school boards that use this approach must receive preference in receiving funds.
Section
227.11 (2) (a), Stats., gives an agency rule-making authority to interpret the provisions of any statute enforced or administered by it, if the agency considers it necessary to effectuate the purpose of the statute.
Related statute or rule
N/A
Plain language analysis
2007 Wisconsin Act 20, the biennial budget bill, created s.
115.445, Stats., relating to 4-year-old kindergarten grants. Beginning in the 2008-09 school year, the Act appropriated $3,000,000 and allows school boards to apply to the department for a 2-year grant to implement a 4-year-old kindergarten program.
In the first school year of the grant, the school board may receive up to $3,000 for each 4-year-old kindergarten pupil; in the succeeding school year, $1,500 per 4-year-old pupil. If funds are insufficient, the department may prorate the payments.
The department is required to promulgate rules for the program and particularly to define "community approaches to early education" as school boards that use this approach must receive preference in receiving funds.
The proposed rule establishes criteria and procedures for awarding grants to eligible school districts.
These rules were promulgated as emergency rules on February 25, 2008, in order to establish application criteria and procedures in time for the program to operate in the upcoming school year.
Comparison with federal regulations
N/A
Comparison with rules in adjacent states
Illinois has an early childhood block grant program serving children ages 3 years old to kindergarten enrollment age. The block grant provides for three programs: preschool for at-risk children, preschool for all children and social and emotional consultation services. It appears funds are made available on a competitive basis as opposed to Wisconsin's per child amount. Funds are available to an eligible applicant regardless of whether or not they have an existing program. Eligible applicants include public or private not-for-profit or for-profit entities with experience in providing educational, health, social and/or child development services to young children and their families. Grantees must collaborate with their local Head Start program. A program may receive continued funding if a need continues to exist for the program and in the previous year, the applicant complied with the terms and conditions of the grant it received.
Iowa has a statewide voluntary preschool program for four-year-old children whose families choose to access such programs. Funds are made available (it appears on a competitive basis as opposed to Wisconsin's per child amount) to assist local school districts in the implementation of these programs. Funds are available to any eligible district regardless of whether or not they have an existing program. Only public schools may apply for funds. Programs must be approved by the department of education and must collaborate with community based providers, such as Head Start, licensed child care centers, etc. The programs must meet specific personnel, ratio of staff to children, maximum class size, instruction time, space, materials, meal and parental involvement standards. If the number of requests exceeds funding available, priority is given to high poverty school districts and to school districts that do not have existing preschool programming (as opposed to Wisconsin's prorating of funds per pupil).
Michigan and Minnesota – do not have rules relating to grants for 4-year-old kindergarten.
Summary of factual data and analytical methodologies
Wisconsin recognizes the importance of education in the lives of very young children. The state constitution sets the stage for school responsibilities beginning with 4-year-olds, and state and federal laws require school services for children with disabilities beginning at age three. A child's success in school is dramatically influenced by their experiences before school age, including health care and quality early care and education. Schools and communities across the state are sharing responsibilities to ensure that quality opportunities are available for young children before they enter school and during their early school years. A coordinated plan to expand access and improve the quality of early learning opportunities is needed to build a foundation for a quality statewide system that builds community, maximizes resources, and assures quality environments and competent professionals.
While state law recognizes the importance of parental involvement and provides a financial incentive to incorporate it into 4K programs, no equivalent incentive is provided for districts using “community approaches." During the 2005-06 school year, 234 of the state's 426 school districts operated a 4K program, but only 33 of these districts used community approaches, where school districts work cooperatively with child care and Head Start partners. Community approaches help maximize existing resources, minimize the number of transitions young children must make among programs, and reduce barriers to participation by increasing access to full-day programs for working families and to health and social services for low-income children. The integration of multiple types of funding sources and a wide range of early care providers enhances overall quality of services to children and families. However, the planning and community building needed to design, implement and sustain a 4K program using a community approach is time consuming and requires ongoing staff effort.
The department is committed to expanding the number of 4K programs offered in the state. Support for the approximately 100 school districts currently exploring the implementation of a 4K program is critical. In the past, funding through a grant from the Trust for Early Education (TEE), allowed the department to establish a network of support (Forces for Four-Year Olds Advisory Committee, Preserving Early Childhood Conference) and to provide resource materials to districts exploring or implementing 4K programs. This temporary private funding is no longer available, but the demand and need for support to these districts continues.
This 4-year-old-kindergarten grant program will help to support some school districts in implementing their 4K programs and will give preference to programs that use community approaches to early education. The rule proposal is based on extensive research and developed through cooperation among four of the department's divisions, with input from two other state agencies. It builds on past successes and incorporates plans and efforts endorsed by the Forces for Four-Year Olds Advisory Committee.
Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
The proposed rules will indirectly benefit small business as priority is given to 4K programs that involve child care centers. However, the proposed rules will not have a significant economic impact on small businesses, as defined in s.
227.114 (1) (a), Stats.
Fiscal Estimate
Summary
Under s.
20.255 (2) (dp), Stats.,
2007 Wisconsin Act 20 appropriated $3 million annually beginning in 2008-09 for school districts to apply to the department for a 2-year grant to implement a 4-year-old kindergarten program.
In the first year of the grant, the school board may receive up to $3,000 for each 4-year-old kindergarten pupil; in the succeeding year, $1,500 per 4-year old pupils. If funds are insufficient, the department may prorate the payments.
The rule establishes criteria and procedures for awarding grants under this program. The rules will have no fiscal effect on local governments or small businesses as defined in s.
227.114 (1) (a), Stats.
The costs associated with administering this grant program will be absorbed by the department.
