SB249,10,17 70.47 (8) Hearing. (intro.) The board shall hear upon oath all persons who appear before it in relation to the assessment. Instead of appearing in person at the hearing, the board may allow the property owner, or the property owner's representative, at the request of either person, to appear before the board, under oath, by telephone or to submit written statements, under oath, to the board. The board shall hear upon oath, by telephone, all ill or disabled persons who present to the board a letter from a physician, osteopath, physician assistant, as defined in s. 448.01 (6), or advanced practice registered nurse prescriber certified under s. 441.16 (2) licensed under ch. 441 that confirms their illness or disability. At the request of the property owner or the property owner's representative, the board may postpone and reschedule a hearing under this subsection, but may not postpone and reschedule a hearing more than once during the same session for the same property. The board at such hearing shall proceed as follows:

SB249,20 Section 20 . 77.54 (14) (f) 3. of the statutes is repealed.

SB249,21 Section 21 . 77.54 (14) (f) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB249,10,21 77.54 (14) (f) 4. An advanced practice registered nurse who holds a permit to issue prescription orders under s. 441.09 (2).

SB249,22 Section 22 . 97.59 of the statutes is amended to read:

SB249,11,10 97.59 Handling foods. No person in charge of any public eating place or other establishment where food products to be consumed by others are handled may knowingly employ any person handling food products who has a disease in a form that is communicable by food handling. If required by the local health officer or any officer of the department for the purposes of an investigation, any person who is employed in the handling of foods or is suspected of having a disease in a form that is communicable by food handling shall submit to an examination by the officer or by a physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse prescriber designated by the officer. The expense of the examination, if any, shall be paid by the person examined. Any person knowingly infected with a disease in a form that is communicable by food handling who handles food products to be consumed by others and any persons knowingly employing or permitting such a person to handle food products to be consumed by others shall be punished as provided by s. 97.72.

SB249,23 Section 23 . 102.13 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB249,11,23 102.13 (1) (a) Except as provided in sub. (4), whenever compensation is claimed by an employee, the employee shall, upon the written request of the employee's employer or worker's compensation insurer, submit to reasonable examinations by physicians, chiropractors, psychologists, dentists, physician assistants, advanced practice nurse prescribers registered nurses, or podiatrists provided and paid for by the employer or insurer. No employee who submits to an examination under this paragraph is a patient of the examining physician, chiropractor, psychologist, dentist, physician assistant, advanced practice registered nurse prescriber, or podiatrist for any purpose other than for the purpose of bringing an action under ch. 655, unless the employee specifically requests treatment from that physician, chiropractor, psychologist, dentist, physician assistant, advanced practice registered nurse prescriber, or podiatrist.

SB249,24 Section 24 . 102.13 (1) (b) (intro.), 1., 3. and 4. of the statutes are amended to read:

SB249,12,14 102.13 (1) (b) (intro.) An employer or insurer who requests that an employee submit to reasonable examination under par. (a) or (am) shall tender to the employee, before the examination, all necessary expenses including transportation expenses. The employee is entitled to have a physician, chiropractor, psychologist, dentist, physician assistant, advanced practice registered nurse prescriber, or podiatrist provided by himself or herself present at the examination and to receive a copy of all reports of the examination that are prepared by the examining physician, chiropractor, psychologist, podiatrist, dentist, physician assistant, advanced practice registered nurse prescriber, or vocational expert immediately upon receipt of those reports by the employer or worker's compensation insurer. The employee is also entitled to have a translator provided by himself or herself present at the examination if the employee has difficulty speaking or understanding the English language. The employer's or insurer's written request for examination shall notify the employee of all of the following:

SB249,12,18 1. The proposed date, time, and place of the examination and the identity and area of specialization of the examining physician, chiropractor, psychologist, dentist, podiatrist, physician assistant, advanced practice registered nurse prescriber, or vocational expert.

SB249,12,21 3. The employee's right to have his or her physician, chiropractor, psychologist, dentist, physician assistant, advanced practice registered nurse prescriber, or podiatrist present at the examination.

SB249,13,2 4. The employee's right to receive a copy of all reports of the examination that are prepared by the examining physician, chiropractor, psychologist, dentist, podiatrist, physician assistant, advanced practice registered nurse prescriber, or vocational expert immediately upon receipt of these reports by the employer or worker's compensation insurer.

SB249,25 Section 25 . 102.13 (1) (d) 1., 2., 3. and 4. of the statutes are amended to read:

SB249,13,7 102.13 (1) (d) 1. Any physician, chiropractor, psychologist, dentist, podiatrist, physician assistant, advanced practice registered nurse prescriber, or vocational expert who is present at any examination under par. (a) or (am) may be required to testify as to the results of the examination.

SB249,13,12 2. Any physician, chiropractor, psychologist, dentist, physician assistant, advanced practice registered nurse prescriber, or podiatrist who attended a worker's compensation claimant for any condition or complaint reasonably related to the condition for which the claimant claims compensation may be required to testify before the division when the division so directs.

SB249,13,19 3. Notwithstanding any statutory provisions except par. (e), any physician, chiropractor, psychologist, dentist, physician assistant, advanced practice registered nurse prescriber, or podiatrist attending a worker's compensation claimant for any condition or complaint reasonably related to the condition for which the claimant claims compensation may furnish to the employee, employer, worker's compensation insurer, department, or division information and reports relative to a compensation claim.

SB249,13,24 4. The testimony of any physician, chiropractor, psychologist, dentist, physician assistant, advanced practice registered nurse prescriber, or podiatrist who is licensed to practice where he or she resides or practices in any state and the testimony of any vocational expert may be received in evidence in compensation proceedings.

SB249,26 Section 26. 102.13 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB249,14,11 102.13 (2) (a) An employee who reports an injury alleged to be work-related or files an application for hearing waives any physician-patient, psychologist-patient, or chiropractor-patient privilege with respect to any condition or complaint reasonably related to the condition for which the employee claims compensation. Notwithstanding ss. 51.30 and 146.82 and any other law, any physician, chiropractor, psychologist, dentist, podiatrist, physician assistant, advanced practice registered nurse prescriber, hospital, or health care provider shall, within a reasonable time after written request by the employee, employer, worker's compensation insurer, department, or division, or its representative, provide that person with any information or written material reasonably related to any injury for which the employee claims compensation.

SB249,27 Section 27 . 102.13 (2) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB249,14,23 102.13 (2) (b) A physician, chiropractor, podiatrist, psychologist, dentist, physician assistant, advanced practice registered nurse prescriber, hospital, or health service provider shall furnish a legible, certified duplicate of the written material requested under par. (a) in paper format upon payment of the actual costs of preparing the certified duplicate, not to exceed the greater of 45 cents per page or $7.50 per request, plus the actual costs of postage, or shall furnish a legible, certified duplicate of that material in electronic format upon payment of $26 per request. Any person who refuses to provide certified duplicates of written material in the person's custody that is requested under par. (a) shall be liable for reasonable and necessary costs and, notwithstanding s. 814.04 (1), reasonable attorney fees incurred in enforcing the requester's right to the duplicates under par. (a).

SB249,28 Section 28 . 102.17 (1) (d) 1. and 2. of the statutes are amended to read:

SB249,15,21 102.17 (1) (d) 1. The contents of certified medical and surgical reports by physicians, podiatrists, surgeons, dentists, psychologists, physician assistants, advanced practice nurse prescribers registered nurses, and chiropractors licensed in and practicing in this state, and of certified reports by experts concerning loss of earning capacity under s. 102.44 (2) and (3), presented by a party for compensation constitute prima facie evidence as to the matter contained in those reports, subject to any rules and limitations the division prescribes. Certified reports of physicians, podiatrists, surgeons, dentists, psychologists, physician assistants, advanced practice nurse prescribers registered nurses, and chiropractors, wherever licensed and practicing, who have examined or treated the claimant, and of experts, if the practitioner or expert consents to being subjected to cross-examination, also constitute prima facie evidence as to the matter contained in those reports. Certified reports of physicians, podiatrists, surgeons, psychologists, and chiropractors are admissible as evidence of the diagnosis, necessity of the treatment, and cause and extent of the disability. Certified reports by doctors of dentistry, physician assistants, and advanced practice nurse prescribers registered nurses are admissible as evidence of the diagnosis and necessity of treatment but not of the cause and extent of disability. Any physician, podiatrist, surgeon, dentist, psychologist, chiropractor, physician assistant, advanced practice registered nurse prescriber, or expert who knowingly makes a false statement of fact or opinion in a certified report may be fined or imprisoned, or both, under s. 943.395.

SB249,16,4 2. The record of a hospital or sanatorium in this state that is satisfactory to the division, established by certificate, affidavit, or testimony of the supervising officer of the hospital or sanatorium, any other person having charge of the record, or a physician, podiatrist, surgeon, dentist, psychologist, physician assistant, advanced practice registered nurse prescriber, or chiropractor to be the record of the patient in question, and made in the regular course of examination or treatment of the patient, constitutes prima facie evidence as to the matter contained in the record, to the extent that the record is otherwise competent and relevant.

SB249,29 Section 29 . 102.29 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB249,16,10 102.29 (3) Nothing in this chapter shall prevent an employee from taking the compensation that the employee may be entitled to under this chapter and also maintaining a civil action against any physician, chiropractor, psychologist, dentist, physician assistant, advanced practice registered nurse prescriber, or podiatrist for malpractice.

SB249,30 Section 30 . 102.42 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB249,16,24 102.42 (2) (a) When the employer has notice of an injury and its relationship to the employment, the employer shall offer to the injured employee his or her choice of any physician, chiropractor, psychologist, dentist, physician assistant, advanced practice registered nurse prescriber, or podiatrist licensed to practice and practicing in this state for treatment of the injury. By mutual agreement, the employee may have the choice of any qualified practitioner not licensed in this state. In case of emergency, the employer may arrange for treatment without tendering a choice. After the emergency has passed the employee shall be given his or her choice of attending practitioner at the earliest opportunity. The employee has the right to a 2nd choice of attending practitioner on notice to the employer or its insurance carrier. Any further choice shall be by mutual agreement. Partners and clinics are considered to be one practitioner. Treatment by a practitioner on referral from another practitioner is considered to be treatment by one practitioner.