2019 - 2020 LEGISLATURE
2019 Assembly BILL 20
February 8, 2019 - Introduced by Representatives Jagler, Born, Ballweg, Brooks,
Dittrich, Anderson, Edming, Gundrum, Hintz, Kitchens, Kolste, Kulp,
Kuglitsch, Krug, Loudenbeck, Murphy, Mursau, Neubauer, Petersen,
Petryk, Quinn, Ramthun, Schraa, Sinicki, Skowronski, Spiros, Spreitzer,
Steffen, Subeck, Thiesfeldt, Tittl, Tranel, VanderMeer, Vorpagel and
Wittke, cosponsored by Senators Fitzgerald, Cowles, Darling, Feyen,
Jacque, Johnson, Kooyenga, Marklein, Olsen, Petrowski, Risser,
Schachtner, Shilling, Smith, Tiffany, Wanggaard and Ringhand. Referred
to Committee on State Affairs.
AB20,1,2 1An Act relating to: terminology changes for those with an intellectual disability
2in administrative rules.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill substitutes the phrase “intellectual disability" and similar phrases for
“mental retardation," “mentally retarded," and similar phrases in rules promulgated
by the Department of Health Services, the Department of Children and Families, the
Public Service Commission, the Department of Safety and Professional Services, and
the Department of Workforce Development. The bill also changes the definition of
“intellectual disability" in rules promulgated by DHS.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB20,1 3Section 1 . DCF 52.59 (9) (a) 2. of the administrative code is amended to read:
AB20,2,34 DCF 52.59 (9) (a) 2. Staff shall have respite care training designed around the
5specific needs of individuals for which care is provided, such as autism, epilepsy,
6cerebral palsy and mental retardation intellectual disabilities. As part of this
7training, staff who have not already had some experience working with the type of

1individual to be cared for shall have at least 8 hours of supervised experience by
2someone who is knowledgeable in working with the type of individual or more than
38 hours if necessary to ensure the provision of competent care.
AB20,2 4Section 2. DHS 10.13 (3) of the administrative code is amended to read:
AB20,2,105 DHS 10.13 (3) “Adult protective services" means protective services for
6mentally retarded individuals with intellectual disabilities and other
7developmentally disabled persons, for aged infirm persons, for chronically mentally
8ill persons and for persons
developmental disabilities, for individuals with
9infirmities of aging, for individuals with chronic mental illness, and for individuals

10with other like incapacities incurred at any age as defined in s. 55.02, Stats.
AB20,3 11Section 3. DHS 10.13 (16) of the administrative code is amended to read:
AB20,2,1912 DHS 10.13 (16) “Developmental disability" means a disability attributable to
13brain injury, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism, Prader-Willi syndrome, mental
14retardation
intellectual disability, or another neurological condition closely related
15to mental retardation intellectual disability or requiring treatment similar to that
16required for mental retardation intellectual disability, that has continued or can be
17expected to continue indefinitely and constitutes a substantial handicap to the
18afflicted individual. “Developmental disability" does not include senility that is
19primarily caused by the process of aging or the infirmities of aging.
AB20,4 20Section 4. Chapter DHS 15 (title) of the administrative code is amended to
21read:
AB20,3,3 22CHAPTER DHS 15
23 ASSESSMENT FOR OCCUPIED BEDS
24 IN NURSING HOMES AND
25 INTERMEDIATE CARE FACILITIES

1FOR
THE MENTALLY RETARDED
2 IN
DIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL
3 DISABILITIES
AB20,5 4Section 5. DHS 15.01 of the administrative code is amended to read:
AB20,3,10 5DHS 15.01 Authority and purpose. This chapter is promulgated under the
6authority of s. 50.14 (5) (b), Stats., to establish procedures and other requirements
7necessary for levying and collecting the monthly assessment imposed under s. 50.14
8(2), Stats., on all licensed beds in intermediate care facilities for the mentally
9retarded (ICF-MR)
individuals with intellectual disabilities (ICF-IID) and nursing
10homes, except facilities that are located outside the state.
AB20,6 11Section 6. DHS 15.02 (4), (5) and (7) of the administrative code are amended
12to read:
AB20,3,1313 DHS 15.02 (4) “Facility" means an ICF-MR ICF-IID or nursing home.
AB20,3,16 14(5)ICF-MR ICF-IID" or “intermediate care facility for the mentally retarded
15individuals with intellectual disabilities" means a facility or distinct part of a facility
16defined under 42 USC 1396d (d) and regulated under ch. DHS 134.