AB526: Bill Text

2019 - 2020 LEGISLATURE

2019 Assembly BILL 526

October 14, 2019 - Introduced by Representatives Kurtz, Ballweg, Doyle, Cabrera, Duchow, Edming, James, Milroy, Mursau, Oldenburg, Petersen, Petryk, Ramthun, Rodriguez, Rohrkaste, Schraa, Spiros, C. Taylor, Tittl, Tranel, Tusler, VanderMeer, Vining and Wittke, cosponsored by Senators Bernier, Carpenter, Nass, Olsen and L. Taylor. Referred to Committee on Health.

AB526,1,6 An Act to consolidate, renumber and amend 440.88 (9) (intro.) and (b); to amend 440.88 (9) (a), 448.13 (1) (a) 1., 455.065 (1) and 457.22 (1) (intro.); and to create 457.22 (3) of the statutes; relating to: requiring continuing education on suicide prevention for physicians, psychologists, social workers, marriage and family therapists, professional counselors, and substance abuse counselors and requiring the exercise of rule-making authority.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill requires two hours of continuing education on suicide prevention to be completed every two years for each of the following types of practitioners to renew their credentials: 1) physicians; 2) psychologists; 3) private practice school psychologists; 4) social workers; 5) advanced practice social workers; 6) independent social workers; 7) clinical social workers; 8) marriage and family therapists; 9) professional counselors; 10) substance abuse counselors; 11) clinical substance abuse counselors; and 12) prevention specialists. Under current law, each of those types of professionals must complete at least 30 hours of continuing education every two years to renew their credentials, except that psychologists and private practice school psychologists are required to complete 40 hours of continuing education every two years to renew their licenses.

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:

AB526,1 Section 1. 440.88 (9) (intro.) and (b) of the statutes are consolidated, renumbered 440.88 (9) (bm) and amended to read:

AB526,2,4 440.88 (9) (bm) The department may do all of the following: (b) Require require continuing education as part of any disciplinary process for an individual.

AB526,2 Section 2. 440.88 (9) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB526,2,12 440.88 (9) (a) Establish The department shall establish the minimum number of hours of continuing education required for renewal of certification under this section and the topic areas that the continuing education must cover. The rules promulgated under this paragraph shall require each substance abuse counselor, clinical substance abuse counselor, and prevention specialist to complete at least 2 hours of continuing education programs or courses on suicide prevention to renew a certification under this section.

AB526,3 Section 3. 448.13 (1) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB526,2,18 448.13 (1) (a) 1. Continuing education programs or courses of study approved for at least 30 hours of credit by the board within the 2 calendar years preceding the calendar year for which the registration is effective. The board shall promulgate rules requiring a physician to complete at least 2 credit hours of continuing education programs or courses approved by the board on suicide prevention.

AB526,4 Section 4. 455.065 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB526,3,8 455.065 (1) Promulgate rules establishing the minimum number of hours of continuing education, the topic areas that the continuing education must cover, the criteria for the approval of continuing education programs and courses required for renewal of a license and the criteria for the approval of the sponsors and cosponsors of those continuing education programs and courses. The rules promulgated under this subsection shall require each person licensed under s. 455.04 (1) or (4) to complete at least 2 hours of continuing education programs or courses on suicide prevention to renew the person's license. The rules promulgated under this subsection may not count continuing education programs or courses on suicide prevention more than continuing education programs or courses on any other topic.

AB526,5 Section 5. 457.22 (1) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB526,3,10 457.22 (1) (intro.) The examining board may shall do any all of the following:

AB526,6 Section 6. 457.22 (3) of the statutes is created to read:

AB526,3,16 457.22 (3) The rules promulgated under sub. (1) shall require social workers, advanced practice social workers, independent social workers, clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, and professional counselors to complete at least 2 hours of continuing education programs or courses of study on suicide prevention in order to qualify for renewal.

AB526,3,17 (End)