SB196: Bill Text

SB196,,349 8. Borrow, accept, or contract for services of personnel, including, but not limited to, employees of a member state;

SB196,,350 9. Hire employees, elect or appoint officers, fix compensation, define duties, grant such individuals appropriate authority to carry out the purposes of the compact, and establish the commission’s personnel policies and programs relating to conflicts of interest, qualifications of personnel, and other related personnel matters;

SB196,,351 10. Accept any and all appropriate donations and grants of money, equipment, supplies, materials, and services, and to receive, utilize, and dispose of the same; provided that at all times the commission shall avoid any appearance of impropriety and/or conflict of interest;

SB196,,352 11. Lease, purchase, accept appropriate gifts or donations of, or otherwise to own, hold, improve or use, any property, real, personal or mixed; provided that at all times the commission shall avoid any appearance of impropriety;

SB196,,353 12. Sell convey, mortgage, pledge, lease, exchange, abandon, or otherwise dispose of any property real, personal, or mixed;

SB196,,354 13. Establish a budget and make expenditures;

SB196,,355 14. Borrow money;

SB196,,356 15. Appoint committees, including standing committees composed of members, state regulators, state legislators or their representatives, and consumer representatives, and such other interested persons as may be designated in this compact and the bylaws;

SB196,,357 16. Provide and receive information from, and cooperate with, law enforcement agencies;

SB196,,358 17. Establish and elect an executive committee; and

SB196,,359 18. Perform such other functions as may be necessary or appropriate to achieve the purposes of this compact consistent with the state regulation of professional counseling licensure and practice.

SB196,,360 (d) The executive committee. 1. The executive committee shall have the power to act on behalf of the commission according to the terms of this compact.

SB196,,361 2. The executive committee shall be composed of up to 11 members:

SB196,,362 a. Seven voting members who are elected by the commission from the current membership of the commission; and

SB196,,363 b. Up to 4 ex officio, nonvoting members from 4 recognized national professional counselor organizations.

SB196,,364 c. The ex officio members will be selected by their respective organizations.

SB196,,365 3. The commission may remove any member of the executive committee as provided in bylaws.

SB196,,366 4. The executive committee shall meet at least annually.

SB196,,367 5. The executive committee shall have the following duties and responsibilities:

SB196,,368 a. Recommend to the entire commission changes to the rules or bylaws, changes to this compact legislation, fees paid by compact member states such as annual dues, and any commission compact fee charged to licensees for the privilege to practice;

SB196,,369 b. Ensure compact administration services are appropriately provided, contractual or otherwise;

SB196,,370 c. Prepare and recommend the budget;

SB196,,371 d. Maintain financial records on behalf of the commission;

SB196,,372 e. Monitor compact compliance of member states and provide compliance reports to the commission;

SB196,,373 f. Establish additional committees as necessary; and

SB196,,374 g. Other duties as provided in rules or bylaws.

SB196,,375 (e) Meetings of the commission. 1. All meetings shall be open to the public, and public notice of meetings shall be given in the same manner as required under the rule-making provisions in sub. (11).

SB196,,376 2. The commission or the executive committee or other committees of the commission may convene in a closed, nonpublic meeting if the commission or executive committee or other committees of the commission must discuss:

SB196,,377 a. Noncompliance of a member state with its obligations under the compact;

SB196,,378 b. The employment, compensation, discipline or other matters, practices or procedures related to specific employees or other matters related to the commission’s internal personnel practices and procedures;

SB196,,379 c. Current, threatened, or reasonably anticipated litigation;

SB196,,380 d. Negotiation of contracts for the purchase, lease, or sale of goods, services, or real estate;

SB196,,381 e. Accusing any person of a crime or formally censuring any person;

SB196,,382 f. Disclosure of trade secrets or commercial or financial information that is privileged or confidential;

SB196,,383 g. Disclosure of information of a personal nature where disclosure would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy;

SB196,,384 h. Disclosure of investigative records compiled for law enforcement purposes;

SB196,,385 i. Disclosure of information related to any investigative reports prepared by or on behalf of or for use of the commission or other committee charged with responsibility of investigation or determination of compliance issues pursuant to the compact; or

SB196,,386 j. Matters specifically exempted from disclosure by federal or member state statute.

SB196,,387 3. If a meeting, or portion of a meeting, is closed pursuant to this provision, the commission’s legal counsel or designee shall certify that the meeting may be closed and shall reference each relevant exempting provision.

SB196,,388 4. The commission shall keep minutes that fully and clearly describe all matters discussed in a meeting and shall provide a full and accurate summary of actions taken, and the reasons therefore, including a description of the views expressed. All documents considered in connection with an action shall be identified in such minutes. All minutes and documents of a closed meeting shall remain under seal, subject to release by a majority vote of the commission or order of a court of competent jurisdiction.

SB196,,389 (f) Financing of the commission. 1. The commission shall pay, or provide for the payment of, the reasonable expenses of its establishment, organization, and ongoing activities.

SB196,,390 2. The commission may accept any and all appropriate revenue sources, donations, and grants of money, equipment, supplies, materials, and services.

SB196,,391 3. 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, which must be in a total amount sufficient to cover its annual budget as approved each year for which revenue is not provided by other sources. The aggregate annual assessment amount shall be allocated based upon a formula to be determined by the commission, which shall promulgate a rule binding upon all member states.

SB196,,392 4. The commission shall not incur obligations of any kind prior to securing the funds adequate to meet the same; nor shall the commission pledge the credit of any of the member states, except by and with the authority of the member state.

SB196,,393 5. The commission shall keep accurate accounts of all receipts and disbursements. The receipts and disbursements of the commission shall be subject to the audit and accounting procedures established under its bylaws. However, all receipts and disbursements of funds handled by the commission shall be audited yearly by a certified or licensed public accountant, and the report of the audit shall be included in and become part of the annual report of the commission.

SB196,,394 (g) Qualified immunity, defense, and indemnification. 1. The members, officers, executive director, employees and representatives of the commission shall be immune from suit and liability, either personally or in their official capacity, for any claim for damage to or loss of property or personal injury or other civil liability caused by or arising out of any actual or alleged act, error or omission that occurred, or that the person against whom the claim is made had a reasonable basis for believing occurred within the scope of commission employment, duties or responsibilities; provided that nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to protect any such person from suit and/or liability for any damage, loss, injury, or liability caused by the intentional or willful or wanton misconduct of that person.

SB196,,395 2. The commission shall defend any member, officer, executive director, employee or representative of the commission in any civil action seeking to impose liability arising out of any actual or alleged act, error, or omission that occurred within the scope of commission employment, duties, or responsibilities, or that the person against whom the claim is made had a reasonable basis for believing occurred within the scope of commission employment, duties, or responsibilities; provided that nothing herein shall be construed to prohibit that person from retaining his or her own counsel; and provided further, that the actual or alleged act, error, or omission did not result from that person’s intentional or willful or wanton misconduct.

SB196,,396 3. The commission shall indemnify and hold harmless any member, officer, executive director, employee, or representative of the commission for the amount of any settlement or judgment obtained against that person arising out of any actual or alleged act, error, or omission that occurred within the scope of commission employment, duties, or responsibilities, or that such person had a reasonable basis for believing occurred within the scope of commission employment, duties, or responsibilities, provided that the actual or alleged act, error, or omission did not result from the intentional or willful or wanton misconduct of that person.

SB196,,397 (10) Data system. (a) The commission shall provide for the development, maintenance, operation, and utilization of a coordinated database and reporting system containing licensure, adverse action, and investigative information on all licensed individuals in member states.

SB196,,398 (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of state law to the contrary, a member state shall submit a uniform data set to the data system on all individuals to whom this compact is applicable as required by the rules of the commission, including:

SB196,,399 1. Identifying information;

SB196,,400 2. Licensure data;

SB196,,401 3. Adverse actions against a license or privilege to practice;

SB196,,402 4. Nonconfidential information related to alternative program participation;

SB196,,403 5. Any denial of application for licensure, and the reason(s) for such denial;

SB196,,404 6. Current significant investigative information; and

SB196,,405 7. Other information that may facilitate the administration of this compact, as determined by the rules of the commission.

SB196,,406 (c) Investigative information pertaining to a licensee in any member state will only be available to other member states.

SB196,,407 (d) The commission shall promptly notify all member states of any adverse action taken against a licensee or an individual applying for a license. Adverse action information pertaining to a licensee in any member state will be available to any other member state.

SB196,,408 (e) Member states contributing information to the data system may designate information that may not be shared with the public without the express permission of the contributing state.

SB196,,409 (f) Any information submitted to the data system that is subsequently required to be expunged by the laws of the member state contributing the information shall be removed from the data system.

SB196,,410 (11) Rule making. (a) The commission shall promulgate reasonable rules in order to effectively and efficiently achieve the purpose of the compact. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event the commission exercises its rule-making authority in a manner that is beyond the scope of the purposes of the compact, or the powers granted hereunder, then such an action by the commission shall be invalid and have no force or effect.

SB196,,411 (b) The commission shall exercise its rule-making powers pursuant to the criteria set forth in this subsection and the rules adopted thereunder. Rules and amendments shall become binding as of the date specified in each rule or amendment.

SB196,,412 (c) If a majority of the legislatures of the member states rejects a rule, by enactment of a statute or resolution in the same manner used to adopt the compact within 4 years of the date of adoption of the rule, then such rule shall have no further force and effect in any member state.

SB196,,413 (d) Rules or amendments to the rules shall be adopted at a regular or special meeting of the commission.

SB196,,414 (e) Prior to promulgation and adoption of a final rule or rules by the commission, and at least 30 days in advance of the meeting at which the rule will be considered and voted upon, the commission shall file a notice of proposed rule making:

SB196,,415 1. On the website of the commission or other publicly accessible platform; and

SB196,,416 2. On the website of each member state professional counseling licensing board or other publicly accessible platform or the publication in which each state would otherwise publish proposed rules.

SB196,,417 (f) The notice of proposed rule making shall include:

SB196,,418 1. The proposed time, date, and location of the meeting in which the rule will be considered and voted upon;

SB196,,419 2. The text of the proposed rule or amendment and the reason for the proposed rule;

SB196,,420 3. A request for comments on the proposed rule from any interested person; and

SB196,,421 4. The manner in which interested persons may submit notice to the commission of their intention to attend the public hearing and any written comments.

SB196,,422 (g) Prior to adoption of a proposed rule, the commission shall allow persons to submit written data, facts, opinions, and arguments, which shall be made available to the public.

SB196,,423 (h) The commission shall grant an opportunity for a public hearing before it adopts a rule or amendment if a hearing is requested by:

SB196,,424 1. At least 25 persons;

SB196,,425 2. A state or federal governmental subdivision or agency; or

SB196,,426 3. An association having at least 25 members.

SB196,,427 (i) If a hearing is held on the proposed rule or amendment, the commission shall publish the place, time, and date of the scheduled public hearing. If the hearing is held via electronic means, the commission shall publish the mechanism for access to the electronic hearing.

SB196,,428 1. All persons wishing to be heard at the hearing shall notify the executive director of the commission or other designated member in writing of their desire to appear and testify at the hearing not less than 5 business days before the scheduled date of the hearing.

SB196,,429 2. Hearings shall be conducted in a manner providing each person who wishes to comment a fair and reasonable opportunity to comment orally or in writing.

SB196,,430 3. All hearings will be recorded. A copy of the recording will be made available on request.

SB196,,431 4. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as requiring a separate hearing on each rule. Rules may be grouped for the convenience of the commission at hearings required by this subsection.

SB196,,432 (j) Following the scheduled hearing date, or by the close of business on the scheduled hearing date if the hearing was not held, the commission shall consider all written and oral comments received.

SB196,,433 (k) If no written notice of intent to attend the public hearing by interested parties is received, the commission may proceed with promulgation of the proposed rule without a public hearing.

SB196,,434 (L) The commission shall, by majority vote of all members, take final action on the proposed rule and shall determine the effective date of the rule, if any, based on the rule-making record and the full text of the rule.

SB196,,435 (m) Upon determination that an emergency exists, the commission may consider and adopt an emergency rule without prior notice, opportunity for comment, or hearing, provided that the usual rule-making procedures provided in the compact and in this subsection shall be retroactively applied to the rule as soon as reasonably possible, in no event later than 90 days after the effective date of the rule. For the purposes of this provision, an emergency rule is one that must be adopted immediately in order to:

SB196,,436 1. Meet an imminent threat to public health, safety, or welfare;

SB196,,437 2. Prevent a loss of commission or member state funds;