AB299: Bill Text

2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE

LRB-3319/1

JAM:wlj&cjs

2025 ASSEMBLY BILL 299

May 30, 2025 - Introduced by Representatives Novak, Tranel, Gundrum, Brill, Dittrich, Kaufert, Kitchens, Kreibich, Melotik, Moses, Mursau, Snyder and Tittl, cosponsored by Senator James. Referred to Committee on Mental Health and Substance Abuse Prevention.

AB299,1,2 An Act to create 36.25 (13h) of the statutes; relating to: provision of virtual mental health services for students at certain UW System institutions.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill requires the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System to contract with a vendor for the provision of virtual mental health services for students enrolled in UW System institutions that have not more than 30,000 full-time enrolled undergraduate students, as such enrollment was counted on the preceding April 1.

The bill also sets certain requirements for the vendor of the virtual mental health services, including that the vendor’s services be designed to complement existing institution-based mental health offerings and expand students’ access to mental health support services beyond traditional business hours. Additionally, the bill requires the vendor chosen by the board to annually report to the board and the legislature regarding the vendor’s provision of virtual mental health services, including certain statistics regarding students’ use of the vendor’s virtual mental health services.

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:

AB299,1 Section 1. 36.25 (13h) of the statutes is created to read:

AB299,2,5 36.25 (13h) Virtual mental health services. (a) The board shall contract with a vendor to provide virtual mental health services for students enrolled in institutions that have not more than 30,000 full-time enrolled undergraduate students, as such enrollment was counted on the preceding April 1.

AB299,2,11 (b) The virtual mental health services provided by the vendor contracted with under par. (a) shall be designed to complement existing institution-based mental health offerings, expand students’ access to mental health support services beyond traditional business hours, and include evidence-based clinical wellness content and behavioral health coaches and licensed mental health providers with experience in delivering mental health care to students in higher education.

AB299,2,16 (c) In contracting with a vendor under par. (a) the board shall prioritize the selection of a vendor with at least 5 years of experience in providing mental health services to institutions and students in higher education and that has demonstrated experience in providing a software that engenders collaboration among the vendor and clinical staff present at an institution of higher education.

AB299,3,2 (d) A vendor contracted with under par. (a) shall, on July 1 of each year it provides virtual mental health services to students enrolled in institutions, submit to the board and to the chief clerk of each house of the legislature for distribution under s. 13.172 (3) to the standing committees having jurisdiction over higher education matters a report regarding the vendor’s provision of virtual mental health services. The report shall include statistics regarding students’ use of the vendor’s virtual mental health services, which statistics shall be provided at both a system-wide level and on an institutional basis.

AB299,3,3 (end)