Legeslative Agenda | Legislative Archive

WEEKLY LONG-TERM CARE UPDATE March 25, 2005

This Week…

• Budget Update: Public Hearings Over – Agency Briefings Begin
• Budget to be Built on Base not Governor’s Budget Proposal
• Legislative Hearing Notices
• New Legislation
• Articles on Long-Term Care

Budget Update: Public Hearings Over – Agency Briefings Begin

The public hearings on the 2005-07 Biennial Budget are now over. Beginning next week the Joint Finance Committee will be briefed by the agency secretaries and department heads, which will allow committee members to ask direct questions about the Governor’s budget proposal and issues impacting long-term care as a whole.

Although the public hearings are over – it is not too late for you to contact your state senator and assembly representative. The budget debate has only just begun and will not be finalized July 1, 2005 at the earliest.

To find your state senator and assembly representative and contact them. Go to:

http://www.legis.state.wi.us/waml/

Joint Finance Committee to Set Aside Governor’s Budget – Build on Base

Last week the co-chairs of the Joint Finance Committee announced that the much of the 2005-07 Budget will be constructed using the base budget (last session budget) and that the Governor’s plan will not be used as the guiding principle in most cases. However, the co-chairs will be meeting with their legislative caucuses to determine which areas they will work off of the Governor’s Budget and which areas they will work from the base budget. In truth, deciding which proposal to work from is more political than functional, since the Governor’s proposals will remain an item for consideration.

The challenge for the Legislature is how to improve the Governor’s budget proposal and deal with controversial taking of funds from the Department of Transportation, Patient Compensation Fund and other agency programs – while providing a balanced budget.

LEGISLATIVE HEARINGS

Joint Finance Committee – DHFS Budget Briefing

Wednesday, March 30, 2005 9:00 AM State Capitol, Room 412-East

The Joint Finance Committee will be hear a briefing on the 2005-07 biennial budget from the Department of Health and Family Services (DHFS) Secretary Helene Nelson. Joint Finance Committee members will be able to ask questions and make comments on the DHFS budget. No public testimony will be taken at the briefings.

Senate Committee on Health, Children, Families, Aging and Long Term Care

Wednesday, March 30, 2005 9:00 AM State Capitol, Room 411-S

The following appointments:

Nursing Home Administrator Examining Board: Kenneth Arneson.

Dentistry Examining Board: Linda Bohacek.

Marriage and Family Therapy Professional Counseling and Social Work Examining Board: Abe Rabinowitz.

DHFS will provide the committee with an update regarding the downsizing of Northern Wisconsin Center. Anyone interested in testifying on this issue will be provided an opportunity to do so.

Assembly Committee on Medicaid Reform

Wednesday, April 6, 2005 10:00 AM State Capitol, Room 417-North

DHFS will present testimony on Wisconsin's Medicaid Program. The topic of the presentation will be Long-Term Care. The hearing will last approximately 2 hours. Testimony will be limited to invited speakers only.

Special Committee on Tax Exemptions for Residential Property (Columbus Park)

Monday, April 11, 20051:00 PM State Capitol, Room 225-NW.

Discussion of WLC:0133/2, bill draft does the following:

• Eliminates the property tax exemption for certain residential housing owned by a benevolent association that exceeds a certain percentage of the median or average value of similar housing in the municipality or county.

• Requires payments for municipal services for certain residential housing owned by a benevolent association.

• Requires a benevolent association that owns certain residential housing to annually apply for a property tax exemption.

The committee may also discuss any other business within the committee's charge. It is expected this will be the last meeting of the Special Committee.

NEWLY INTRODUCED LEGISLATION

SENATE

SB-57.Tax Exemption - Building Materials - Non-Profits (Grothman) Sales and use tax exemption for building materials that become a part of a facility for a local unit of government or non-profit organization. To Tax Exemptions.

SB-70.Witnesses (Kanavas) Evidence of lay and expert witnesses in certain proceedings.

SB-126.City/Village Ordinance Publication (Roessler) Changes requirements for publication of city and village ordinances. To Veterans, Homeland Security, Military Affairs, Small Business and Government Reform.

SB-128.Insurance Coverage - mental health (Hansen) Increases limits for insurance coverage of nervous or mental health disorders or alcoholism or other drug abuse problems. To Agriculture and Insurance.

ASSEMBLY

AB-138.Rehabilitation Reviews (Musser) Allows tribal administration of rehabilitation reviews for persons who may not otherwise operate, be employed at, contract with, or reside at places that provide day care for children. To State Affairs.

AB-155.Non-conforming buildings (Gunderson) Authority of a municipality or county to eliminate certain non-conforming buildings or premises. To Property Rights and Land Management.

AB-207.Conscience Clause (Hundertmark) Employment discrimination based on creed; and exemption from liability and discipline for health care professionals and heath care facility employees who refuse to participate in sterilization, abortion, assisted suicide, and other procedures on moral or religious grounds. To Labor.

AB-257.City, village ordinance publication (Gottlieb) Changes requirements for publication of city and village ordinances. To Urban and Local Affairs.

ARTICLES ON WISCONSIN LONG-TERM CARE

Chetek Alert (March 23, 2005)

Doyle urges delegation to oppose Medicaid cuts

Gov. Jim Doyle recently sent a letter to members of Wisconsin's Congressional delegation, urging them to oppose massive cuts to the Medicaid program as part of the Budget Resolution pending before both houses.

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1134&dept_id=150860&newsid=14206093&PAG=461&rfi=9