This is the preview version of the Wisconsin State Legislature site.
Please see http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov for the production version.
Under current law, there are four income tax brackets for single individuals,
certain fiduciaries, heads of households, and married persons, and the brackets are
indexed for inflation. The rate of taxation under current law for the lowest bracket
for single individuals, certain fiduciaries, heads of households, and married persons
is 3.50 percent of taxable income. The rate for the second bracket is 4.40 percent.
The rate for the third bracket is 5.3 percent. And the rate for the highest bracket is
7.65 percent. Before bracket indexing, the four brackets for individuals, certain
fiduciaries, and heads of households, to which the above rates apply, are as follows:
1) taxable income from $0 to $7,500; 2) taxable income exceeding $7,500 but not
exceeding $15,000; 3) taxable income exceeding $15,000 but not exceeding $225,000;
and 4) taxable income exceeding $225,000.
Child and dependent care tax credit
Under current law, an individual who is eligible to claim the federal child and
dependent care tax credit may claim a state income tax credit equal to 50 percent of
the amount the individual may claim as a federal income tax credit. However, the

amount of employment-related expenses that an individual may claim to determine
the amount of the federal credit is limited to $3,000 if the individual has only one
qualifying dependent, and $6,000 if the individual has two or more qualifying
dependents.
The bill increases the amount of the state credit that an individual may claim
by increasing the employment-related expense limitation to $10,000 for one
qualifying dependent and $20,000 for two or more qualifying dependents, and by
allowing an individual to claim a state income tax credit equal to the full amount that
the individual could claim for the federal child and dependent care credit determined
using the individual's employment-related expenses.
Private school tuition deduction
Under current law, an individual, when computing income for income tax
purposes, may deduct the tuition paid during the year to send his or her dependent
child to private school. The maximum deduction is $4,000 for an elementary school
pupil and $10,000 for a secondary school pupil.
This bill increases the maximum deduction to $5,070 for an elementary school
pupil and $12,660 for a secondary school pupil. The bill also increases the amounts
by the annual percentage change in the consumer price index for future tax years.
Reciprocal credentials
This bill creates a process for certain individuals who hold a license,
certification, registration, or permit that was granted by another state to apply for
and receive a reciprocal credential in this state. Under current law, an individual
may not engage in certain professions or assume certain titles in this state unless the
individual holds a credential issued by a department, examining board, or
credentialing board with authority to oversee the profession or practice. Current law
requires the Department of Safety and Professional Services, the Veterinary
Examining Board, and any credentialing board attached to DSPS, with certain
exceptions, to issue a reciprocal credential to a service member, former service
member, or the spouse of a service member or former service member who resides in
this state if certain conditions are met, including that the individual holds a license,
certification, registration, or permit that was granted by a governmental authority
in a jurisdiction outside this state that qualifies the individual to perform the acts
authorized under an appropriate credential granted in this state and that the
individual's certification, registration, or permit is in good standing with the
governmental authorities in every jurisdiction outside this state that have granted
the individual such a license, certification, registration, or permit.
The bill expands who may apply for reciprocal credentials to include all
individuals and adds the further requirements that to receive a reciprocal credential
in this state an individual may not have an arrest or conviction record; may not have
any limitation, restriction, or other encumbrance on any credential issued by a
governmental authority in another state that qualifies the individual to perform acts
authorized under the appropriate reciprocal credential granted in this state; and
may not be under investigation in another state related to any credential possessed
by the individual that qualifies the individual to perform acts authorized under the
appropriate reciprocal credential granted in this state. The bill does not allow

individuals to receive a reciprocal credential from the Accounting Examining Board
or the Real Estate Examining Board that would grant the holder of the credential
a limited right to practice law in this state, unless the applicant is licensed to practice
law in this state.
Investigations of conviction records by DSPS
Current law prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of a conviction
record and prohibits DSPS and the credentialing boards attached to DSPS from
discriminating against applicants for credentials on the basis of a conviction record.
However, current law allows DSPS and the credentialing boards attached to DSPS
to refuse, bar, or terminate a credential due to a prior arrest, conviction, or other
offense if the circumstances of the arrest, conviction, or offense are substantially
related to the circumstances of the licensed activity. The bill allows DSPS to
complete its investigation as to whether the circumstances of an arrest, conviction,
or other offense are substantially related to the circumstances of a credentialed
activity without reviewing the specific circumstances of the arrest, conviction, or
other offense if the arrest, conviction, or other offense is a certain violation of state
or local law, including all of the following:
1. A first conviction for a violation of a law or local ordinance that prohibits
driving or operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated or under the influence of
alcohol, a controlled substance, or a controlled substance analog, or a combination
of those, or of any drug that renders the person incapable of safely driving, if that first
conviction occurred more than five years before the applicant applied for the
credential.
2. A violation of a law or local ordinance that prohibits underage procurement,
possession, or consumption of alcohol.
3. A minor, nonviolent ordinance violation, as determined by DSPS.
Further, the bill allows DSPS to accept, in lieu of completing its own
investigation, a determination made by an applicant's employer or by a contracted
entity on behalf of an applicant's employer that the applicant does not have an arrest,
conviction, or other offense record or that the circumstances of an arrest, conviction,
or other offense are not substantially related to the licensed activity. The bill
requires that an applicant's employer, or a contracted entity on behalf of an
applicant's employer, must attest that the determination was made to the best of the
employer's or entity's knowledge and with a reasonable degree of certainty. Under
the bill, DSPS must accept or reject such a determination within 30 days of receipt.
Within the 30 days following receipt of a determination by an applicant's employer
or a contracted entity on behalf of an applicant's employer that the applicant does not
have an arrest, conviction, or other offense record, DSPS may review the
determination and request additional information from the applicant before
accepting or rejecting the determination. Finally, the bill provides that neither DSPS
nor any credentialing board attached to DSPS may be subject to suit or found liable
for damages resulting from acceptance of an employer's or entity's determination.
Prohibiting statutes and rules examinations for certain professions
The bill prohibits DSPS, the Board of Nursing, the Medical Examining Board,
the Occupational Therapists Affiliated Credentialing Board, the Pharmacy

Examining Board, and the Marriage and Family Therapy, Professional Counseling,
and Social Work Examining Board from requiring an applicant to pass a statutes and
rules examination as a condition of licensure or certification for all of the following
professions:
1. Substance abuse counselors, clinical substance abuse counselors, and
substance abuse counselors-in-training.
2. Advanced practice nurse prescribers.
3. Respiratory care practitioners.
4. Occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants.
5. Pharmacists.
6. Professional counselors.
The bill allows DSPS and the examining and credentialing boards to require an
applicant for a credential to practice any of the professions listed above to affirm that
the applicant has read and understands the statutes and rules that apply to the
applicant's practice.
Credential renewal periods
Under current law, a two-year renewal period applies to many health and
business credentials administered by DSPS or a credentialing board. The renewal
date for each two-year period is specified by statute. The bill revises each two-year
renewal period in the health and business professions to four-year renewal periods
and makes various changes related to continuing education requirements for these
credentials.
Current law requires DSPS to grant a temporary state credential to a health
care provider who is credentialed in good standing in another state, pending an
application for a permanent credential. The provider must apply for the temporary
credential within 30 days of first providing services in Wisconsin and attest that the
person is in good standing under the out-of-state credential and has applied for a
permanent credential. The health care provider's employer must notify DSPS within
10 days of the person first providing services in Wisconsin and attest that the
provider's credential and good standing have been confirmed to a reasonable degree
of certainty. An employer's notification and attestation are not required if the person
is only providing telehealth services.
To be in good standing under a credential from another state, the provider must
hold a valid, unexpired credential and must not be under investigation or have any
active restrictions or limitations on the person's credential. While practicing in
Wisconsin under the temporary credential, a health care provider is subject to all
responsibilities and limitations in the applicable practice.
The bill expands this process from health care providers to also include persons
classified in the business professions with credentials in good standing in another
state or territory. The bill revises the terminology for all health care and business
profession applicants from a “temporary” credential to a “preliminary” credential.
If an individual with a valid, unexpired credential from another state or territory
applies for a preliminary credential under the process described above, the
individual may provide health care or business services for an employer, under the
preliminary credential, while an application for a permanent credential is pending.

While providing services under the preliminary credential, the person is subject to
all responsibilities and limitations of the applicable state-issued credential.
The bill also adds the following health care professions that may apply for a
preliminary credential, who are not included in current law: dental hygienists,
expanded function dental auxiliaries, genetic counselors, radiographers, and
naturopathic doctors.
Reciprocal credential information
Under current law, for health and business credentials administered by DSPS
or a credentialing board, a specific reciprocal credential standard is typically
specified for each credential, which establishes the eligibility criteria for issuing a
reciprocal credential. A reciprocal credential is a credential issued to a person who
already possesses a similar credential in another jurisdiction. Also known as
licensure by endorsement, the process for granting a reciprocal credential typically
allows an applicant who is already credentialed in another jurisdiction to receive a
credential without having to provide all of the documentation or satisfy all of the
criteria that would otherwise be required to be granted a credential. A commonly
used standard specifies that a reciprocal credential may be granted if the other
state's credentialing requirements are “substantially equivalent” to Wisconsin's
credentialing requirements for the profession.
The bill requires DSPS to determine, for each health care provider credential,
whether the profession's reciprocity standard requires an examination of the
equivalence, comparability, or similarity of a prior issuing state's or territory's
credentialing requirements. For each health care provider credential that DSPS
determines applies this reciprocity standard, DSPS must review all other states' and
territories' health care provider credentialing requirements, in consultation with the
appropriate credentialing boards, to determine whether each other state's or
territory's laws qualify for purposes of granting a reciprocal health care provider
credential under state law.
DSPS must post the results of its review on its website and must update the
review at least every four years.
Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact
This bill ratifies and enters Wisconsin into the Audiology and
Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact, which allows a speech-language
pathologist or audiologist licensed in one member state to obtain a “compact
privilege” to practice in a remote state without obtaining a license in that remote
state.
PA Licensure Compact
This bill ratifies and enters Wisconsin into the PA Licensure Compact, which
provides for the ability of a physician assistant to become eligible to practice in other
compact states.
Social Work Licensure Compact
This bill ratifies and enters Wisconsin into the Social Work Licensure Compact,
which provides for the ability of a social worker to become eligible to practice in other
compact states.

Counseling Compact
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.
Decennial review of occupational licensure requirements
This bill establishes a decennial process for review of the state's occupational
licensure requirements.
The bill creates the Occupational License Review Council. The council is
created in DSPS and consists of the following members:
1. Four members appointed by the governor to serve at the pleasure of the
governor.
2. Two members of the senate appointed by the senate majority leader.
3. Two members of the assembly appointed by the speaker of the assembly.
4. The secretary of safety and professional services or his or her designee, who
serves as the council's chair. The secretary or designee is a nonvoting member, except
that he or she may vote in the case of a tie.
The council must submit a report by December 31, 2024, to the governor, the
chief of the Legislative Reference Bureau, and the legislature that includes the
council's recommendations for the elimination of occupational licenses in this state,
or the modification of laws and rules governing occupational licenses, and the
reduction or elimination of occupational license–continuing and other education
requirements. The council's recommendations for the elimination of occupational
licenses must take into account a number of considerations, including any statement
or analysis provided by the agency or board administering an occupational license
and including an evaluation of whether the unregulated practice of the profession,
occupation, or trade can clearly harm or endanger the health, safety, or welfare of the
public.
Under the bill, the LRB must prepare legislation based on the council's
recommendations, and the proposed legislation must be introduced without change
and referred to the appropriate standing committee of each house. The legislature
must take final action on the proposed legislation no later than June 30, 2025.
The bill provides that a new council convenes every 10 years to repeat the
process described above.
Under the bill, for purposes of the council's functions, the term “occupational
license” means any license, permit, certification, registration, or other approval
granted by DSPS or a board under DSPS and any other license, permit, certification,
registration, or approval granted to a person by this state in order that the person
may engage in a profession, occupation, or trade or use one or more titles in
association with his or her profession, occupation, or trade.
Reports on proposed legislation requiring occupational and business
licenses
This bill requires the Department of Administration to prepare a report
containing certain information on any bill that is introduced in the legislature that
requires an individual to obtain a license in order to engage in a particular profession
or occupation or that requires that a license be obtained in order for a particular type

of business to be owned or operated. The LRB must submit to DOA any bill to which
the requirement applies, and the report must be distributed before certain actions
are taken on the bill in the legislature.
Provider Assistance for Licensing
The bill requires the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, no later
than March 1, 2024, to request the Joint Committee on Finance to supplement an
appropriation for child care to be used for the Provider Assistance for Licensing
program (PAL). Under the bill, PAL is a program to assist unregulated providers of
child care in becoming certified child care providers or licensed child care centers
through methods including grant funding; waiver of licensure fees; and assistance
with compliance with regulations, training and certification, and completing
background checks.
Apprenticeship grants for technical college and tribal college students
This bill creates grant programs under which the Technical College System
Board and Higher Educational Aids Board may award grants of up to $1,500 to
technical college students and tribal college students, respectively, who have
undertaken an apprenticeship program in conjunction with their course of
instruction at the technical college or tribal college. These grants may be awarded
only to pay for the students' actual materials expenses, such as the cost of tools,
equipment, and clothing, associated with the apprenticeship program. Among the
requirements for a student to be eligible for a grant, the student must be enrolled in
the apprenticeship program in the semester in which the grant is made and in the
following semester.
Commercial driver's license training grants
This bill requires the Department of Workforce Development to establish a
commercial driver training grant program. Under the program, DWD provides
grants to persons or other entities that provide training leading to an individual who
resides in this state receiving a commercial driver's license (CDL) in this state. The
training must, in order to qualify for a grant, satisfy entry-level driver training
requirements established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
(FMCSA), including that the grant applicant be listed on the FMCSA's registry of
approved training providers. The bill further requires that a grant applicant have
a facility in this state that is listed in the registry, and that the training be provided
at or through that facility. Grants under the bill may not exceed, for each individual
trained, 50 percent of the costs of training the individual in the operation of
commercial motor vehicles or $3,000, whichever is less. DWD may not award grants
for applications to participate in the training program received after June 30, 2025.
Unemployment insurance; general qualifying requirements
Under current law, a claimant for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits is
generally required to 1) register for work, 2) be able to work and available for work,
and 3) conduct a work search for each week in order to remain eligible. A claimant
is required to conduct at least four work search actions each week, and DWD may
require, by rule, that an individual conduct more than four work search actions per
week. Finally, if a claimant is claiming benefits for a week other than an initial week,

the claimant must provide information or job application materials that are
requested by DWD and participate in a public employment office workshop or
training program or in similar reemployment services required by DWD.
The bill does the following:
1. Requires, for the third and subsequent weeks of a claimant's benefit year,
that at least two of the required weekly work search actions be direct contacts with
potential employers.
2. Requires a claimant who resides in this state, for each week other than an
initial week, to submit and keep posted on the DWD's job center website a current
resume.
3. Requires, when a claimant is claiming benefits with less than three weeks
of benefits left, that the claimant complete a reemployment counseling session.
Additionally, current law allows DWD to use information or job application
materials described above to assess a claimant's efforts, skills, and ability to find or
obtain work and to develop a list of potential opportunities for a claimant to obtain
suitable work. However, current law provides that a claimant who otherwise
satisfies the required weekly work search requirement is not required to apply for
any specific positions on the list of potential opportunities in order to satisfy the work
search requirement. The bill requires, instead of allows, DWD to provide this
assistance. The bill also repeals the language in current law providing that a
claimant who otherwise satisfies the weekly work search requirement is not required
to apply for specific positions provided by DWD and requires DWD to provide each
claimant with at least four potential opportunities each week, one or more of which
may be opportunities with a temporary help company.
Finally, current law allows DWD to require a claimant to participate in a public
employment office workshop or training program. The bill provides that DWD must
require a claimant to participate in a public employment office workshop or training
program if the claimant is likely to exhaust regular UI benefits. DWD may also
require other claimants to participate in a public employment office workshop or
training program, but must prioritize claimants more likely to have difficulty
obtaining reemployment.
Unemployment insurance; drug testing
Current state law requires DWD to establish a program that is consistent with
federal law to test certain claimants who apply for UI benefits for the presence of
controlled substances. A claimant who tests positive for a controlled substance for
which the claimant does not have a prescription is ineligible for UI benefits until
certain requalification criteria are satisfied or unless he or she enrolls in a substance
abuse treatment program and undergoes a job skills assessment, and a claimant who
declines to submit to a test is simply ineligible for benefits until he or she requalifies.
Claimants who are required to undergo drug testing include individuals for whom
suitable work is only available in occupations for which drug testing is regularly
conducted in this state. However, current law provides that these provisions do not
apply until DWD promulgates rules to implement the requirements and those rules
take effect, including rules identifying occupations for which drug testing is
regularly conducted in this state.

The bill requires DWD to immediately promulgate the required rules.
Unemployment insurance; Reemployment Services and Eligibility
Assessment grants
Under federal law, the United States Department of Labor (USDOL) operates
the Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA) program, whereby
grants are awarded to states to provide reemployment services to claimants.
Participation in the RESEA program is voluntary and requires that a state submit
a state plan to USDOL that outlines how the state intends to conduct a program of
reemployment services and eligibility assessments.
The bill requires that DWD act to continue to participate in the RESEA
program and requires DWD to provide certain RESEA services to all UI claimants.
Unemployment insurance; database comparisons
The bill requires DWD to perform a comparison of state and national databases
that track death records, employment records, and prison records against recipients
of UI benefits for the purposes of detecting fraud or erroneous payments. The bill
requires DWD to perform the comparison on at least a weekly basis. The bill provides
that DWD may also make such comparisons with other databases.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB1-SSA1,1 1Section 1. 13.0963 of the statutes is created to read:
SB1-SSA1,12,4 213.0963 Review of bills creating occupational licenses. (1) Definition.
3In subs. (2) and (3), “license” includes any permit, certificate, approval, registration,
4charter, or similar form of permission.
SB1-SSA1,13,5 5(2) Report on bills creating occupational licenses. (a) If any bill that is
6introduced in either house of the legislature creates a requirement that an individual
7obtain a license in order to engage in a particular profession or occupation or a
8requirement that a license be obtained in order for a particular type of business to
9be owned or operated, the department of administration shall prepare and issue an
10occupational license report on the bill within 30 business days after it is introduced.
11The department shall request information from any individual or business that the
12department considers likely to be affected by the proposed licensure requirement
13and shall request a statement or analysis from the agency that would be required to

1administer the licensure requirement. Individuals, businesses, and agencies shall
2comply with requests by the department for information that is reasonably
3necessary for the department to prepare the report. To the greatest extent possible,
4reports under this section shall be based on the information obtained by the
5department from individuals, businesses, and agencies under this paragraph.
SB1-SSA1,13,96 (b) A bill that requires a report by the department of administration under this
7section shall have that requirement noted on its jacket when the jacket is prepared.
8When a bill that requires a report under this section is introduced, the legislative
9reference bureau shall submit a copy of the bill to the department of administration.
SB1-SSA1,13,1610 (c) The report prepared under this section shall be printed as an appendix to
11the applicable bill and shall be distributed in the same manner as amendments. The
12report shall be distributed before any vote is taken on the bill by either house of the
13legislature if the bill is not referred to a standing committee, or before any public
14hearing is held before any standing committee or, if no public hearing is held, before
15any vote is taken by the committee. The department of administration shall also
16publish the report on its Internet site.
SB1-SSA1,13,18 17(3) Findings to be contained in the report. The department of administration
18shall include all of the following in a report prepared under sub. (2):
SB1-SSA1,13,2219 (a) An evaluation of whether the unregulated practice of the profession,
20occupation, or business can clearly harm or endanger the health, safety, or welfare
21of the public, and whether the potential for the harm is recognizable and not remote
22or speculative.
SB1-SSA1,13,2423 (b) An evaluation of whether the public can reasonably be expected to benefit
24from the requirement for the license.
SB1-SSA1,14,2
1(c) An evaluation of what the least restrictive regulation is that will effectively
2protect the public, as determined under sub. (4).
Loading...
Loading...