AB207: Bill Text

LRB-0837/1

MED:emw

2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE

2023 Assembly BILL 207

April 20, 2023 - Introduced by Joint Legislative Council. Referred to Committee on Health, Aging and Long-Term Care.

AB207,2,5 An Act to renumber 457.16 (1); to renumber and amend 440.03 (13) (c) and 457.12; to amend 15.405 (7c) (a) 1., 15.405 (7c) (a) 2., 15.405 (7c) (a) 3., 15.405 (7c) (a) 4., 15.405 (7c) (am) 1., 15.405 (7c) (am) 3., 15.405 (7c) (c), 46.90 (4) (ab) 4., 48.56 (2), 48.561 (2), 49.45 (30j) (a) 1., 51.03 (6) (a), 55.043 (1m) (a) 4., 146.81 (1) (hg), 146.89 (1) (r) 6., 146.89 (1) (r) 7., 146.997 (1) (d) 11., 180.1901 (1m) (f), 252.14 (1) (ar) 7., 252.15 (1) (er), 253.10 (2) (f), 256.215 (2) (b), 257.01 (1) (a), 257.01 (1) (b), 303.08 (1) (f), 440.03 (9) (a) (intro.), 440.03 (9) (a) 2., 440.03 (13) (b) (intro.), 440.03 (14) (am), 440.043 (1), 440.094 (1) (c) 14., 440.15, 446.01 (1v) (m), 448.08 (4), 448.67 (4), 450.10 (3) (a) 10., chapter 457 (title), 457.01 (intro.), 457.01 (1g), 457.01 (1w), 457.01 (2r), 457.01 (7), 457.02 (intro.), (1), (2), (3), (4) and (6) (c), 457.03 (1), (1m) and (2), 457.033, 457.035 (1), 457.04 (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) (a) and (b) and (7), 457.04 (6), 457.04 (7), 457.06 (intro.), 457.09 (2) (b) and (4) (b) 1. and 2., 457.12 (title), 457.13 (1) (c), 457.14 (1) (f), 457.15 (3), 457.20 (1) and (2), 457.24 (1), 457.26 (1) and (2) (intro.) and (h), 632.89 (1) (dm), 632.89 (1) (e) 4., 800.035 (2m), 905.04 (1) (bm), 905.04 (1) (dm) and 905.04 (1) (g); and to create 14.896, 440.03 (11m) (c) 2u., 440.03 (13) (c) 1. i., subchapter I (title) of chapter 457 [precedes 457.01], 457.01 (1t), 457.01 (5m), 457.12 (1m) (bm) and (2m) to (4m), 457.16 (1) (b), 457.18 and subchapter II of chapter 457 [precedes 457.50] of the statutes; relating to: ratification of the Counseling Compact.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill is explained in the Notes provided by the Joint Legislative Council in the bill.

For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

Joint Legislative Council prefatory note: This bill was prepared for the Joint Legislative Council's Study Committee on Occupational Licenses.

This bill ratifies and enters Wisconsin into the Counseling Compact, which provides for the ability of a professional counselor to become eligible to practice in other compact states. Significant provisions of the compact include the following:

1. The creation of a Counseling Compact Commission, which includes one member or administrator of the licensure boards of each member state. The commission has various powers and duties granted in the compact, including establishing bylaws, promulgating binding rules for the compact, employing officers and employees, and establishing and electing an executive committee. The commission may levy on and collect an annual assessment from each member state or impose fees on other parties to cover the cost of the operations and activities of the commission and its staff.

2. The ability for a professional counselor to obtain a “privilege to practice,” which allows a professional counselor to practice professional counseling in another compact state (remote state) if the professional counselor satisfies certain criteria. The compact specifies a number of requirements in order for a professional counselor to exercise a privilege to practice, including holding a professional counselor license in a home state, not having any encumbrances or restrictions against a license or privilege in the previous two years, and paying any fees and meeting any jurisprudence requirements that may be imposed by a remote state. A professional counselor practicing in a remote state under a privilege to practice must adhere to the laws and regulations, including the scope of practice, of that state. A remote state may, in accordance with that state's laws, remove a professional counselor's privilege to practice in the remote state for a specific period of time, impose fines, and take any other necessary actions to protect the health and safety of its citizens. If a professional counselor's license is encumbered, the counselor loses the privilege to practice in all remote states until certain criteria are satisfied. If a professional counselor's privilege to practice in any remote state is removed, the counselor may lose the privilege to practice in all other remote states until certain criteria are satisfied.

3. The ability of member states to issue subpoenas that are enforceable in other states.

4. The creation of a coordinated database and reporting system containing licensure and disciplinary action information on professional counselors. The compact requires all home state disciplinary orders that impose adverse actions to be reported to the commission. A member state must submit a uniform data set to the data system on all individuals to whom the compact is applicable as required by the rules of the commission.

5. Provisions regarding resolutions of disputes between member states and between member and nonmember states, including a process for termination of a state's membership in the compact if the state defaults on its obligations under the compact.

Since the compact has already been enacted by the minimum number of states required for it to become active, the compact becomes effective in this state upon enactment of the bill. The compact provides that it may be amended upon enactment of an amendment by all member states. A state may withdraw from the compact by repealing the statute authorizing the compact, but the compact provides that a withdrawal does not take effect until six months after the effective date of that repeal.

AB207,1 Section 1 . 14.896 of the statutes is created to read:

AB207,3,7 14.896 Counseling compact. There is created a counseling compact commission as specified in s. 457.50. The delegate on the commission representing this state shall be appointed by the marriage and family therapy, professional counseling, and social work examining board as provided in s. 457.50 (9) (b) 1. and shall be an individual described in s. 457.50 (9) (b) 2. a. or b. The commission has the powers and duties granted and imposed under s. 457.50.

AB207,2 Section 2 . 15.405 (7c) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB207,3,10 15.405 (7c) (a) 1. Four social worker members who are certified or licensed under subch. I of ch. 457.

AB207,3 Section 3 . 15.405 (7c) (a) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB207,3,13 15.405 (7c) (a) 2. Three marriage and family therapist members who are licensed under subch. I of ch. 457.

AB207,4 Section 4 . 15.405 (7c) (a) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB207,3,16 15.405 (7c) (a) 3. Three professional counselor members who are licensed under subch. I of ch. 457.

AB207,5 Section 5 . 15.405 (7c) (a) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB207,4,3 15.405 (7c) (a) 4. Three public members who represent groups that promote the interests of consumers of services provided by persons who are certified or licensed under subch. I of ch. 457.

AB207,6 Section 6 . 15.405 (7c) (am) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB207,4,6 15.405 (7c) (am) 1. At least one member who is certified under subch. I of ch. 457 as an advanced practice social worker.

AB207,7 Section 7 . 15.405 (7c) (am) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB207,4,9 15.405 (7c) (am) 3. At least one member who is licensed under subch. I of ch. 457 as a clinical social worker.

AB207,8 Section 8 . 15.405 (7c) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB207,4,15 15.405 (7c) (c) All matters pertaining to granting, denying, limiting, suspending, or revoking a certificate or license under subch. I of ch. 457, and all other matters of interest to either the social worker, marriage and family therapist, or professional counselor section shall be acted upon solely by the interested section of the examining board.

AB207,9 Section 9. 46.90 (4) (ab) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB207,4,19 46.90 (4) (ab) 4. A social worker, professional counselor, or marriage and family therapist certified under subch. I of ch. 457 or a professional counselor who is exercising the privilege to practice, as defined in s. 457.50 (2) (s), in this state.

AB207,10 Section 10 . 48.56 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB207,4,23 48.56 (2) Each county department shall employ personnel who devote all or part of their time to child welfare services. Whenever possible, these personnel shall be social workers certified under subch. I of ch. 457.

AB207,11 Section 11 . 48.561 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB207,5,4 48.561 (2) The department shall employ personnel in a county having a population of 750,000 or more who devote all of their time directly or indirectly to child welfare services. Whenever possible, these personnel shall be social workers certified under subch. I of ch. 457.

AB207,12 Section 12. 49.45 (30j) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB207,5,21 49.45 (30j) (a) 1. “Competent mental health professional” means a physician who has completed a residence in psychiatry; a psychologist; a private practice school psychologist who is licensed under ch. 455; a marriage and family therapist who is licensed under s. 457.10 or 457.11; a professional counselor who is licensed under s. 457.12 or 457.13 or who is exercising the professional counselor privilege to practice, as defined in s. 457.50 (2) (s), in this state; an advanced practice social worker granted who holds a certificate under s. 457.08 (2); an independent social worker granted who holds a certificate under s. 457.08 (3); a clinical social worker who is licensed under s. 457.08 (4); a clinical substance abuse counselor or independent clinical supervisor who is certified under s. 440.88, or any of these individuals who is practicing under a currently valid training or temporary license or certificate granted under applicable provisions of ch. 457. “Competent mental health professional" does not include an individual whose license or, certificate, or privilege is suspended, revoked, or voluntarily surrendered, or whose license or, certificate, or privilege is limited or restricted, when practicing in areas prohibited by the limitation or restriction.

AB207,13 Section 13 . 51.03 (6) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB207,6,11 51.03 (6) (a) In this subsection, “licensed treatment professional" means a physician who has completed a residence in psychiatry; a psychologist; a private practice school psychologist who is licensed under ch. 455; a marriage and family therapist who is licensed under s. 457.10 or 457.11; a professional counselor who is licensed under s. 457.12 or 457.13 or who is exercising the professional counselor privilege to practice, as defined in s. 457.50 (2) (s), in this state; an advanced practice social worker granted who holds a certificate under s. 457.08 (2); an independent social worker who is licensed under s. 457.08 (3); a clinical social worker who is licensed under s. 457.08 (4); or any of these individuals who is practicing under a currently valid training or temporary license or certificate granted under applicable provisions of ch. 457. “Licensed treatment professional" does not include an individual whose license or, certificate, or privilege is suspended, revoked, or voluntarily surrendered, or whose license or, certificate, or privilege is limited or restricted, when practicing in areas prohibited by the limitation or restriction.

AB207,14 Section 14. 55.043 (1m) (a) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB207,6,15 55.043 (1m) (a) 4. A social worker, professional counselor, or marriage and family therapist certified under subch. I of ch. 457 or a professional counselor who is exercising the privilege to practice, as defined in s. 457.50 (2) (s), in this state.

AB207,15 Section 15. 146.81 (1) (hg) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB207,6,19 146.81 (1) (hg) A social worker, marriage and family therapist, or professional counselor certified or licensed under subch. I of ch. 457 or a professional counselor who is exercising the privilege to practice, as defined in s. 457.50 (2) (s), in this state.

AB207,16 Section 16 . 146.89 (1) (r) 6. of the statutes is amended to read: