The Special committee on Domestic Biofuels, chaired by Senator Pat Kreitlow met on Tuesday, August 19, 2008, on the following: Presentations by the following invited speakers on the present use and production and the potential of liquid biofuels in Wisconsin: R. Brooke Coleman, President, New Fuels Alliance. Timothy Donahue, Director, Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center. Rod Nilsestuen, Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection. Judy Ziewacz, Executive Director, Wisconsin Office of Energy Independence. Discussion of committee assignment.

Continued.

Presentations were heard by the committee on August 18, 2008 in the State Capitol by invited speakers, including Tom Still, President, Wisconsin Technology Council; Patricia Herdrich, Superintendent, West Bend School District; Dan Clancy, President, Wisconsin Technical College System; and representatives from the University of Wisconsin System and the Department of Public Instruction.

Continued.

Description to follow.

Description to follow.

Continued.

Preliminary data analysis presentation of Wisconsin small group market by Bela Gorman of Gorman Actuarial. Health Insurance Risk-Sharing Plan presentation by Amie Goldman. BadgerChoice and BadgerCare Plus update by Jason Helgerson, DHS. Other comments by Sean Dilweg, Chair and Commissioner of Insurance for the state; and Jim Riordan of WPS.

Special Committee on High-Risk Juvenile Offenders met on August 6, 2008 at the Waukesha County Administration Building in Waukesha. Testimony from invited speakers representing community-based programs for
juvenile offenders and testimony from invited speakers relating to Milwaukee County delinquency services was presented.

Continued.

Continued.

The Special Committee on Regional Transportation Authority, chaired by Representative Alvin Ott met on Thursday, August 7, 2008, on the following: organizational matters, presentations by invited speakers, including representatives of the Federal Transit Administration and the American Public Transportation Association, and discussion of committee assignment.

Continued.

The Special Committee on Differences in Laws Applicable to Cities and Villages, chaired by Representative Mark Gottlieb met on Tuesday, August 5, 2008, on the following: organizational matters, review and discussion of certain differences in laws that apply to cities and villages, including laws relating to: salary changes for city officers; holdover status of appointed officers; peace officer status of village trustees; publication of city receipts and disbursements; regulation of political signs; liability for mob damage; annual salary requirement for village officers; election of village trustees by district; public works contracts; police and fire protection; claims procedure; and trains obstructing highways, and identification of additional issues for future consideration.

The Special Committee on Emergency Management and Continuity of Government, chaired by Senator Robert Jauch met on Wednesday, July 30, 2008, on the following: presentations on emergency management by the Division of Emergency Management and the Department of Health Services; and on continuity of government by the Department of Administration and the Senate and Assembly Chief Clerks; and discussion of committee assignment.

Continued.

Continued.

Continued.

The Special Committee on Performance Based Disease Management for Large Populations, chaired by Rep. Steve Wieckert, met on July 24, 2008, on the following: presentations by invited speakers and discussion of committee assignments.

Continued.

The Special Committee on School Safety chaired by Senator John Lehman met on Tuesday, July 22, 2008, on the following: presentations by invited speakers (representatives from the following): Department of Public Instruction Wisconsin Association of School Boards Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance Wisconsin Education Association Council; and discussion of committee assignment.

Continued.

The Special Committee on Building Wisconsin's Workforce chaired by Representative Patricia Strachota met on Monday, July 21, 2008 on the following: Organizational matters; presentations by invited speakers, including representatives of the Department of Workforce Development, Wisconsin Hospital Association, IBEW Local 2150, Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, National Federation of Independent Business, and Lori Knapp, Inc. Companies; and discussion of committee assignment.

Continued.

The committee held a public hearing on Thursday, July 17, 2008, on the following: Audit Letter Report (June 2008), Overtime in State Agencies; Audit Report 08-6, Food and Dairy Safety Program, Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection; Audit Letter Report (January 2008), Food and Dairy Safety Program Funding, Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.

Description to follow.

Description to follow.

The committee held an informational hearing on Tuesday, July 8, 2008. The first topic of the Informational Hearing will be an update from the Department of Health & Family Services on the operation of the Manor Care nursing homes since the change in ownership to a private equity group, The Carlyle Group. The second topic will include testimony from Commissioner Sean Dilweg of the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance regarding long term care insurance and related senior issues. The committee also held a public hearing and executive session on the following: Finder-Stone, Patricia, of De Pere, as a member of the Board on Aging and Long Term Care to serve for the term ending May 1, 2013 and Lease, Mary of Oregon, as a member of the Nursing Home Administrator Examining Board, to serve for the term ending July 1, 2011.

Continued.

The committee held an informational hearing on Tuesday, July 8, 2008, on Department of Workforce Development Job Center Consolidation.

Description to follow.

The committee held a public hearing on Wednesday, June 18, 2008, on the following items: PI 31 Emergency Extension Request,
Agency request 60-day extension relating to grats for science, Technology, engineering and mathematics; PI 33 Emergency Extension Request,
Department requests 60-day extension relating to grants for nursing services; Comm 132 Emergency Extension Request, Department request 60-day extension relating to implementing a program for certifying applicants and allocating dairy manufacturing facility invesment tax credits, and affecting small businesses; PI 16 Emergency Rule Extension, Department requests 60-day extension relating to four-year-old kindergarten grants.

The committee held a public hearing on Wednesday, June 18, 2008, on the following items: Clearinghouse Rule 07-082, relating to ambient air quality standards and affecting small business; Clearinghouse Rule 08-011, relating to hunting and trapping regulations and the use of department managed lands; Clearinghouse Rule 08-012, relating to the hook and line harvest of lake sturgeon. Clearinghouse Rule 08-013, relating to deer hunting as it relates to the management of chronic wasting disease; Clearinghouse Rule 08-014, relating to the implementation and administration of grants for endangered resources.

The committee held a public hearing on Tuesday, June 10, 2008, on Clearinghouse Rule 08-013, relating to deer hunting as it relates to the management of chronic wasting disease.

The committee held an informational hearing on Thursday, June 5, 2008, on the following: LRB 2894/1, relating to municipal court elections, judges, and procedure and providing penalties.

The committee held a public hearing on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 on the following: 1. Pursuant to s. 111.92 (1), Stats., the Joint Committee will hold a PUBLIC HEARING and may take executive action on the 2007-2009 tentative agreements between the State of Wisconsin and the: a. Wisconsin State Employees Union, AFSCME Council 24, and its appropriate affiliated locals, AFL-CIO, covering employees in the: • Administrative support; • Blue collar and nonbuilding trades; • Professional social services; • Security and public safety; and • Technical collective bargaining units. b. Wisconsin Law Enforcement Association, covering employees in the law enforcement collective bargaining unit. c. District 1199W/United Professionals for Quality Health Care, SEIU, AFL-CIO, covering employees in the professional patient care collective bargaining unit. d. Wisconsin Education Association Council, covering employees in the professional education collective bargaining unit. e. Wisconsin Professional Employees Council, WFT/AFT, AFL-CIO, covering employees in the professional fiscal and staff services collective bargaining unit. f. Wisconsin Science Professionals, AFT, Local 3732, covering employees in the professional science collective bargaining unit. g. Milwaukee Graduate Assistants Association, AFT/WFT, Local 2169, AFL-CIO, covering employees in the program, project and teaching assistants of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee collective bargaining unit. h. Wisconsin Physicians and Dentists Association, covering employees in the professional patient treatment collective bargaining unit. i. Wisconsin State Public Defenders Association, WFT/AFT, Local 4822, AFL CIO, covering employees in the public defenders collective bargaining unit. j. Wisconsin State Attorneys Association, Inc., covering employees in the professional legal collective bargaining unit. k. Wisconsin State Building Trades Negotiating Committee, AFL-CIO, and its appropriate affiliated locals, covering employees in the building trades crafts collective bargaining unit. 2. Pursuant to s. 230.12 (3) (b), Stats., the Joint Committee will hold a PUBLIC HEARING and may take executive action on recommendations of the Director of the Office of State Employment Relations for modifications to the 2007-2009 Compensation Plan for nonrepresented classified and certain unclassified employees. 3. Pursuant to s. 230.12 (3) (e), Stats., the Joint Committee will hold a PUBLIC HEARING and may take executive action on recommendations of the Director of the Office of State Employment Relations for modifications to the 2007-2009 compensation and benefit adjustments for University of Wisconsin System senior executives, faculty, and academic staff.

The committee held a public hearing on Thursday, May 22, 2008, on the following: LRB 3744/2, relating to stray voltage actions against certain electric utilities and cooperative associations and granting rule-making authority.

The committee held a public hearing and executive session on Thursday, May 22, 2008, on the following: Roger Breske of Eland, as Commissioner of Railroads, to serve for the term ending March 1, 2011; Eric Callisto of Madison, as Chair of the Public Service Commission, to serve for the interim term ending March 1, 2009 and a full term ending March 1, 2015.

Continued.

The committee held a public hearing on Monday, May 12, 2008, on the following: Timberlake, Karen of Madison, as secretary of the Department of Health and Family Services, to serve for the term ending at the pleasure of the Governor. The committee also held an executive session on the following: Timberlake, Karen of Madison, as secretary of the Department of Health and Family Services, to serve for the term ending at the pleasure of the Governor; Fulkerson, Jay of Menasha, as a member of the Health Insurance Risk-Sharing Plan Authority, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2011; Gifford, Michael of Milwaukee, as a member of the Health Insurance Risk-Sharing Plan Authority to serve for the term ending May 1, 2011; Greenley, Dianne of McFarland, as a member of the Health Insurance Risk-Sharing Plan Authority, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2011; Peirick, Carol of Madison, as a member of the Health Insurance Risk-Sharing Plan Authority, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2011. Stanley, Tim of Monona, as a member of the Cemetery Board, to serve for the term ending July 1, 2011.

The Senate Committee on Commerce, Utilities, and Rail and the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources held a joint session on Thursday, May 1, 2008 on the following: Clearinghouse Rule 07-100, relating to private onsite wastewater treatment systems, and affecting small businesses; Clearinghouse Rule 07-100, relating to private onsite wastewater treatment systems, and affecting small businesses; Clearinghouse Rule 06-108, relating to regulation of fishing tournaments in inland, outlying, and boundary waters of Wisconsin; Clearinghouse Rule 07-076, relating to hazardous air pollutant emissions associated with agricultural waste and affecting small business; Clearinghouse Rule 07-104, relating to major source definition and affecting small business; Clearinghouse Rule 07-112, relating to general permits for dredging in Great Lakes navigable waterways.

The committee held an executive session on Tuesday, April 22, 2008, on the following: Cupp, Mark, of Blue River, as a member of the Land and Water Conservation Board, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2012; Lundberg, William, of Wisconsin Rapids, as a member of the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway Board, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2011; Quackenbush, William, of Black River Falls, as a member of the Kickapoo Reserve Management Board, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2011; Rohde, Gary of River Falls, as a member of the Natural Resources Board, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2011; Walsh, Roger, of Wauwatosa, as a member of the Wisconsin Waterways Commission, to serve for the term ending March 1, 2013.

The committee held a public hearing on Thursday, April 17, 2008, on PI 33 Emergency Extension Request, relating to grants for nursing services.

The Joint Committee on Audit Public Hearing held a public hearing on April 10, 2008 on the following: Proposed Audit: Accountability, Consolidation, and Efficiency (ACE) Initiative. Requested by Senator Sullivan, Representative Jeskewitz and Senator Cowles. Proposed Audit: Treatment of Adult Inmates with Mental Illnesses in the Wisconsin Corrections System. Requested by Senator Sullivan, Representative Jeskewitz and Representative Parisi. Audit Report 08-3, 17-Year-Old Offenders in the Adult Criminal Justice System, Department of Corrections.

The committee held a public hearing on Wednesday, April 9, 2008, on the following: Quackenbush, William, of Black River Falls, as a member of the Kickapoo Reserve Management Board, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2011; Walsh, Roger of Wauwatosa, as a member of the Wisconsin Waterways Commission, to serve for the term ending March 1, 2013; Cupp, Mark of Blue River, as a member of the Land and Water Conservation Board, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2012; Lundberg, William of Wisconsin Rapids, as a member of the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway Board, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2011; Rohde, Gary of River Falls, as a member of the Natural Resources Board, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2011.

The committee held a public hearing on Wednesday, April 2, 2008, on the following: DNR Emergency Order No. FH-40-07(E), relating to control of fish diseases and invasive species; DATCP Emergency Rule Extension ATCP 10, relating to diseases of fish and farm-raised deer. An executive session followed the public hearing to deal with DNR Emergency order No. FH-40-07(E) and DATCP Emergency Rule Extension ATCP 10.

The committee held a public hearing on Thursday, March 27, 2008, on Information Technology Oversight Oskar Anderson, State of Wisconsin Department of Administration Chief Information Officer will provide testimony on how the department has responded to last year's audit report calling for increased oversight of state information technology projects. Testimony will include an overview of changes the department has made in the development, oversight and implementation of all state IT projects, especially those that cost more than $1 million. Representative Phil Montgomery will also provide testimony on the findings of the Speaker's Task Force on Information Technology Failures.

The committee held a public hearing on Tuesday, March 25, 2008, on the following: Henzl, Robert of Racine, as a member of the Wisconsin Professional Baseball Park District Board, to serve for the term ending July 1, 2009; Miller, Michael of West Bend, as a member of the Wisconsin Professional Baseball Park District Board, to serve for the term ending July 1, 2011; the committee also held an executive session on the following: Henzl, Robert of Racine, as a member of the Wisconsin Professional Baseball Park District Board, to serve for the term ending July 1, 2009; Miller, Michael of West Bend, as a member of the Wisconsin Professional Baseball Park District Board, to serve for the term ending July 1, 2011; Tlusty, Wayne of Rib Lake, as a member of the Examining Board of Architects, Landscape Architects, Professional Engineers, Designers and Land Surveyors, to serve for the term ending July 1, 2011; Wesley, Gregory of Milwaukee, as a member of the Wisconsin Professional Baseball Park District Board, for the term ending July 1, 2011; Williams, Jay of Hartland, as a member of the Wisconsin Professional Baseball Park District Board, to serve for the term ending July 1, 2009.

The committee held a public hearing on Wednesday, March 26, 2008, on Clearinghouse Rule 07-114, relating to vehicle emission inspection program. The committee also held an informational hearing on "Real ID."

The committee held an executive session on Thursday, March 20, 2008, on the following: 2008 Special Session Assembly Bill 1, relating to state finances and appropriations.

The committee held a public hearing on Wednesday, March 19, 2008, on 2008 Special Session Assembly Bill 1, relating to state finances and appropriations.

Continued.

Continued.

Continued.

Continued.

The committee held a public hearing on Wednesday, March 12, 2008, on the following: Assembly Bill 717, relating to fire safety performance standards for cigarettes, making an appropriation, and providing a penalty; Assembly Bill 771, relating to use of a social security number as personal identifier in the administration of a state or local governmental program. The committee also held an executive session on the following items: Assembly Bill 717, relating to fire safety performance standards for cigarettes, making an appropriation, and providing a penalty; Assembly Bill 771, relating to use of a social security number as personal identifier in the administration of a state or local governmental program.

The committee held a public hearing on Wednesday, March 12, 2008, on the following: Assembly Bill 212, relating to designating a state tartan. The committee also held an executive session on the following items: Senate Bill 215, relating to making June 19, Juneteenth Day, a legal holiday; Assembly Bill 848, relating to revising various provisions of the statutes for the purpose of correcting errors and supplying omissions; Assembly Bill 875, relating to certification of major party nominees for the offices of president and vice president in 2008.

The committee held a public hearing and executive session on Tuesday, March 11, 2008, on the following: Assembly Bill 600, relating to membership on the State Trails Council; Senate Bill 514, relating to all-terrain vehicle routes and trails that may be used by operators of lightweight utility vehicles.

The committee held an executive session on Tuesday, March 11, 2008, on Senate Bill 232, relating to pharmacists, contraceptives, and the definition of abortion.

The committee held a public hearing on Monday, March 10, 2008, on the following: Assembly Bill 915, relating to notices concerning construction near or on lakes, streams, or wetlands that are given to applicants for building permits and other construction approvals, requiring the Department of Natural Resources to furnish informational brochures about wetlands laws, requiring the Department of Natural Resources to provide evaluations and statements about whether certain land contains wetlands, and making an appropriation; Senate Bill 523, relating to the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact, withdrawals of water from the Great Lakes Basin, water withdrawal and use, water supply planning, water conservation, granting rule-making authority, and providing a penalty. The committee also held an executive session on the following items: Assembly Bill 396, relating to restrictions on the use and sale of fertilizer containing phosphorus and other lawn fertilizer and providing a penalty; Assembly Bill 831, relating to hunting deer of either sex by the holder of a Class B hunting permit; Assembly Bill 892, relating to increasing the fee for a snowmobile trail use sticker; Assembly Bill 896, relating to membership of the State Fair Park Board; Assembly Bill 915, relating to notices concerning construction near or on lakes, streams, or wetlands that are given to applicants for building permits and other construction approvals, requiring the Department of Natural Resources to furnish informational brochures about wetlands laws, requiring the Department of Natural Resources to provide evaluations and statements about whether certain land contains wetlands, and making an appropriation; Senate Bill 197, relating to restrictions on the use and sale of fertilizer containing phosphorus and other lawn fertilizer and providing a penalty; Senate Bill 208, relating to the leasing of land in the Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest for the purpose of gravel extraction.

Continued.

The committee held a public hearing on Monday, March 10, 2008, on the following: Senate Bill 488, relating to the Physical Therapists Affiliated Credentialing Board; Senate Bill 562, relating to the establishment of the Healthy Wisconsin Plan and the Healthy Wisconsin Authority, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation.

The committee held an executive session on Friday, March 7, 2008, on the following: Senate Bill 554, relating to exempting certain lifts from the statutes regulating the installation of elevators and similar conveyances, exempting personnel hoists and material hoists from the statutes regulating the installation and operation of elevators and similar conveyances, rules implementing the statutes regulating the installation and operation of elevators and similar conveyances, and delaying the effective date for statutes regulating the installation and operation of elevators and similar conveyances; Senate Bill 544, relating to requiring that local regulation of a wind energy system be consistent with Public Service Commission rules and granting rule-making authority.

The committee held a public hearing on Thursday, March 6, 2008, on the following: Assembly Bill 907, relating to the transfer of, and the residency requirements under, the film production tax credits; Assembly Bill 789, relating to the total amount of airport development zone and technology zone tax credits.

The committee held a public hearing on Thursday, March 6, 2008, on the following: Assembly Joint Resolution 33, relating to status of seats of legislators on ordered military duty and appointment of temporary acting legislators for legislators performing ordered military duty; Senate Bill 359, relating to religious or charitable gifts from candidates; Assembly Bill 904, relating to administration of elections and providing penalties; Assembly Bill 903, relating to verification of the eligibility of voters whose names do not appear on registration lists or who appear to have voted more than once; Kevin Kennedy, General Counsel, Government Accountability Board provided a status report to the committee on successes and shortcomings of the Statewide Voter Registration System; the transition to G.A.B.; and if budget cuts occur will the G.A.B. be able to absorb? This presentation is for the information of the committee. The committee also held an executive session on the following items: Assembly Bill 61, relating to acceptance of certain political contributions by certain elective state officials and committees; Assembly Joint Resolution 30, relating to prohibiting assessing indigent legal fees to attorneys licensed to practice law in this state.

Continued.

Continued.

The committee held a public hearing on Thursday, March 6, 2008, on the following: Assembly Bill 513, relating to requiring that a high school course in agriculture be counted as a science credit; Assembly Bill 715, relating to the purchase, storage, or use of mercury by schools; Assembly Bill 814, relating to grants for world languages instruction in elementary schools and making an appropriation; Assembly Bill 878, relating to providing information about suicide prevention to public and private school professional staff; Assembly Bill 906, relating to state special education aid for the salaries of certain pupil services personnel and granting rule-making authority; LRB 4147/1, relating to computing the number of school days required to be held by a school district. The committee also held an executive session on the following: Assembly Bill 233, relating to granting high school diplomas to certain veterans with service-connected disabilities; Assembly Bill 366, relating to sentencing for crimes on school premises and providing a penalty; Assembly Bill 367, relating to trespass on school premises and providing a penalty; Assembly Bill 647, relating to adopting federal law as it relates to an income tax deduction for certain educators and creating an individual income tax deduction for educators who use their own funds to purchase classroom educational supplies; Senate Bill 42, relating to school policies on bullying.