The Joint Committee on Finance met on December 17, 2008, to discuss Natural Resources Section 13.10 Request Related to Supplemental Snowmobile Trail Aids and Department of Administration's Office of Justice Assistance Section 13.10 Request for the Release of Reserved Funds for an Assess, Inform and Measure Grant to Milwaukee County.

Description to follow.

The committee held an executive session on Wednesday, January 30, 2008, on Assembly Bill 62, relating to electric receptacles maintained by the Department of Natural Resources at state park campsites; Assembly Bill 77, relating to distributing the school levy and lottery and gaming property tax credits; Assembly Bill 83, relating to creating an agricultural education and workforce development council and making an appropriation; Assembly Bill 232, relating to the amount of the exemption from income tax withholding requirements for employees of a county fair association; Assembly Bill 294, relating to a state electrical wiring code; regulation of electricians, electrical contractors, and electrical inspectors; inspections of electrical wiring; regulation of electrical wiring; regulation of heating and air conditioning contractors by a county with a population of 500,000 or more; and granting rule-making authority; Assembly Bill 515, relating to the regulation of certain suppliers of liquefied petroleum gas, applicability of the statewide system for notification of the location of transmission facilities, granting rule-making authority, and providing a penalty; Senate Bill 37, relating to regulation of unsafe children's products, extending the time limit for and providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures, requiring the exercise of rule-making authority, and providing a penalty; Senate Bill 99, relating to prohibitions against certain telephone and facsimile solicitations, authorizing a private cause of action, and providing a penalty; Senate Bill 167, relating to a state electrical wiring code; regulation of electricians, electrical contractors, and electrical inspectors; inspections of electrical wiring; regulation of electrical wiring; regulation of heating and air conditioning contractors by a county with a population of 500,000 or more; and granting rule-making authority; Senate Bill 194, relating to the licensing and regulation of thermal system insulation and fire-stop product mechanics and contractors; creating a thermal system insulation and fire-stop council; requiring the employment of a state inspector; establishing standards for installing, removing, and maintaining thermal system insulation and fire-stop products; requiring the exercise of rule-making authority; and providing a penalty; Senate Bill 223, relating to expanding the area in which a tax incremental district's project costs may be expended; Senate Bill 273, relating to the regulation of certain suppliers of liquefied petroleum gas, applicability of the statewide system for notification of the location of transmission facilities, granting rule-making authority, and providing a penalty; Senate Bill 341, relating to salaries of deputy district attorneys; Senate Bill 402, relating to expenditure of $228,792.62 from moneys appropriated to the Department of Administration in payment of a claim against the state to indemnify Georgia Thompson, a state of Wisconsin employee.

The committee held a regular meeting December 12 to consider a number of budgetary items. The Department of Justice requested the approval of two full time employees dedicated to gang intelligence. The State Elections Board requested the release of $450,000 from the reserved portion of the Committee's appropriation to the board general program operations for campaign finance database conversion. The Department of Workforce Development requested the transfer of $2.75 million to the department's child support local assistance appropriation to offset decreasing federal investment in the child support program by providing state funds to county child support offices. The Department of Corrections requested the transfer of $587,800 from its corrections contracts and agreements appropriation to its reimbursing counties for probation, extended supervision and parole holds appropriation for purposes of reimbursing counties at a $32 per day rate for felony probation and parole holds.

The committee held an executive session, October 31, to vote on Assembly Bill 207, relating to regulation of cable television and video service providers; Assembly Bill 393, relating to adding a circuit court branch in Barron, Chippewa, Dodge, Green, Juneau, Monroe, and St. Croix counties; Assembly Bill 486, relating to expenditure of $10,317.93 from moneys appropriated to the Department of Natural Resources in payment of a claim against the state made by the Klemme Brothers Well Drilling, Inc.

The committee met August 16 to take up two items. The Higher Education Aids Board requested approval of the changes to the agreement for the Minnesota-Wisconsin Student Reciprocity Agreement and the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance requested a one-timie $600,000 increase in expenditure authority. The office asked to transfer $600,000 to the Department of Health and Family Services to continue funding elderly benefit specialist positions in fiscal year 2007-2008.

The committee passed Senate Bill 122, relating to the property tax exemption for waste treatment facilities. **This program has some minor audio problems.**

The committee discussed the Department of Natural Resources budget, as well as Long Term Care in the Department of Health and Family Services. Topics included natural resources stewardship and nursing home rates and bed assessment. **This program has some minor audio problems.**

The committee continued discussion on the Department of Health and Family Services, focusing on topics of health care quality and the patient safety council and grant program. They also discussed General Fund Taxes, focusing on areas such as cigarette and tobacco products tax and refund increases.

The committee discussed budget items within Department of Health and Family Services and the Department of Corrections. Issues included state foster care and doption assistance, adult corrections inmate health care, and GPS tracking of serious child sex offenders.

The committee discussed a number of issues including State Fair Park, District Attorneys, Employee Trust Funds, Office of Justice Assistance, Natural Resources, and Education. Topics included health insurance coverage for domestic partners of state employees and state annuitants, law enforcement officer supplement grants to the city of Milwaukee, eligible recipients of invasive species grants, veterans tuition remission reimbursement, the Wisconsin Covenant Program, and retention of high demand faculty in the UW-System.

The committee discussed a number of issues including State Fair Park, District Attorneys, Employee Trust Funds, Office of Justice Assistance, Natural Resources, and Education. Topics included health insurance coverage for domestic partners of state employees and state annuitants, law enforcement officer supplement grants to the city of Milwaukee, eligible recipients of invasive species grants, veterans tuition remission reimbursement, the Wisconsin Covenant Program, and retention of high demand faculty in the UW-System.

The Committee discussed issues of Transportation, including finance, local aids and assistance, and the state highway program. Subject matter included oil company assessment and the Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee Commuter Rail Extension Project.

The committee discussed the Employment Relations Commission, including disciplinary procedures for law enforcement officers and fire fighters. They talked about Administration and General Agency Provisions with the reorganization of the Division of Energy and creation of an Office of Energy Independence. The Justice Department's Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, TIME System upgrade, and the Sexual Assult Forensic Examination Compensation Program were also on the agenda.

The committee discussed Health and Family Services, including Long Term Care, Medicaid Asset Transfers, and Nursing Home Payment Methodology. They focused on funding for the Building Commission and building programs, including the UW System, Energy Conservation Construction Projects, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Hmong Cultural Center, and the Kenosha Civil War Museum.

The committee discussed economic support and child care, economic development and housing, buildings and environmental regulation. They focused on the Wisconsin Development Fund, a repeal requirement to provide education regarding construction standards, transfer from the Petroleum Inspection Fund to the General Fund and PECFA Awards and fire dues distribution.

The committee discussed the county and municipal aid funding level, the County Levy Restraint Program, implementation of the Federal Real ID Act and the Health and Family Services HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis programs, among other items.

The Committee discussed Public Instruction, General School Aids and Revenue Limits. Additional topics included Categorical Aids to Public Instruction, Choice and Charter Schools funding, Shared Revenue and Tax Relief, and Property Tax Credits.

The Committee discussed Public Instruction, General School Aids and Revenue Limits. Additional topics included Categorical Aids to Public Instruction, Choice and Charter Schools funding, Shared Revenue and Tax Relief, and Property Tax Credits.

The Committee discussed Public Instruction, General School Aids and Revenue Limits. Additional topics included Categorical Aids to Public Instruction, Choice and Charter Schools funding, Shared Revenue and Tax Relief, and Property Tax Credits.

The committee met in executive session and discussed a number of department budget items including the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority, Department of Public Instruction -- Administrative Other Funding, Department of Health and Family Services -- Institutions, Public Service Commission -- Departmentwide, Public Service Commission -- Office of the Commissioner of Railroads, Shared Revenue and Tax Relief -- Property Taxation, and County Aid Fund.