2019 - 2020 LEGISLATURE
2019 Senate BILL 866
February 20, 2020 - Introduced by Senators Bernier, Ringhand, Tiffany and
Bewley, cosponsored by Representatives Felzkowski, Rodriguez, Macco,
Bowen, Dittrich, Gundrum, Kulp, L. Myers, Skowronski and Wichgers.
Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services.
SB866,2,2 1An Act to renumber 252.14 (1) (ar) 4q.; to amend 15.08 (1m) (b), 36.25 (11) (b),
246.03 (44), 48.981 (2m) (b) 1., 60.23 (9), 69.01 (6g), 77.54 (14) (b), 77.54 (14) (d),
3118.15 (3) (a), 118.25 (1) (a), 118.29 (1) (e), 146.82 (3) (a), 146.89 (1) (r) 1., 155.01
4(7), 252.11 (10), 255.06 (1) (d), 255.07 (1) (d), 257.01 (5) (a) and (b), 448.03 (2)
5(a), 448.035 (2) to (4), 448.56 (1), 448.56 (1m) (b), 450.03 (1) (e), 450.11 (7) (b),
6462.04, 895.48 (1m) (a) (intro.) and 2., 905.04 (1) (b) and (c), (2) and (3), 961.01
7(19) (a), 961.23 (6) and 961.41 (3j); and to create 15.08 (1m) (bm), 15.405 (7f),
848.981 (2) (a) 1m., 69.18 (1) (cj), 77.54 (14) (f) 1m., 146.81 (1) (dc), 146.997 (1)
9(d) 4m., 180.1901 (1m) (h), 252.14 (1) (ar) 4s., 440.03 (13) (b) 39g., 440.08 (2) (a)
1047g., 446.02 (9) (e), 450.10 (3) (a) 12., 450.11 (8) (f), chapter 466, 905.04 (1) (br),
11961.397 and 990.01 (22m) of the statutes; relating to: the regulation and

1licensure of naturopathic doctors, creating a naturopathic medicine examining
2board, granting rule-making authority, and providing a penalty.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill provides for regulation and licensing for the practice of naturopathic
medicine. Current law does not regulate the practice of naturopathic medicine
specifically, but does require a license in order to engage in anything that falls within
the scope of certain other health care practices, including the practice of medicine
and surgery.
Under the bill, subject to certain exceptions, no one may practice naturopathic
medicine, as defined in the bill, or use the title “naturopathic doctor” or “naturopathic
physician” or make similar representations without a license to practice
naturopathic medicine. A license is granted by the seven-member Naturopathic
Medicine Examining Board, which is created in the bill. Under the bill, the board
must grant an initial license to a person who has completed a qualifying
naturopathic medical program specified in the bill, has passed examinations
specified in the bill, meets certain requirements that the board may establish, does
not have an arrest or conviction record, and pays a fee. The bill allows the board to
disqualify a naturopathic medical program that the board determines does not
adequately prepare students to practice naturopathic medicine. Biennial renewal
of a license requires completion of continuing education requirements established by
the board, as well as satisfaction of other requirements the board may establish.
A naturopathic doctor licensed under the bill may practice naturopathic
medicine, which is defined in the bill and includes a number of specific practices, as
well as a number of practices that are excluded from the definition. The bill also
allows the board to further define the scope of practice of naturopathic medicine by
expressly authorizing or prohibiting certain practices. The practice of naturopathic
medicine includes prescribing drugs, but the bill expressly prohibits naturopathic
doctors from prescribing Schedule I and II controlled substances and narcotics
classified under Schedule III.
The bill requires the board to promulgate rules that establish standards of
practice for and a code of ethics governing the professional conduct of naturopathic
doctors, continuing education requirements for licensure renewal, and examination
standards for licensure, including required passing scores. The bill allows the board
to establish other requirements for initial licensure or renewal of a license and also
allows the board to adopt minimum malpractice insurance requirements for
naturopathic doctors. The bill includes provisions for the professional discipline of
licensees, which allow the board to take certain actions against a licensee who
violates certain prohibitions in the bill.
Finally, the bill also applies certain other laws, such as the law providing for
confidentiality of health care records and the health care workers whistleblowers
protection law, to licensed naturopathic doctors and allows naturopathic doctors to
perform certain actions that can be performed by physicians or other health care

providers, including allowing a naturopathic doctor who is directly involved with the
care of a patient to pronounce a patient's date, time, and place, but not cause, of
death.
Because this bill creates a new crime or revises a penalty for an existing crime,
the Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties may be requested to prepare a
report.
Because this bill relates to an exemption from state or local taxes, it may be
referred to the Joint Survey Committee on Tax Exemptions for a report to be printed
as an appendix to the bill.
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:
SB866,1 1Section 1. 15.08 (1m) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB866,3,122 15.08 (1m) (b) The public members of the chiropractic examining board, the
3dentistry examining board, the hearing and speech examining board, the medical
4examining board, the naturopathic medicine examining board, the physical therapy
5examining board, perfusionists examining council, respiratory care practitioners
6examining council and council on physician assistants, the board of nursing, the
7nursing home administrator examining board, the veterinary examining board, the
8optometry examining board, the pharmacy examining board, the marriage and
9family therapy, professional counseling, and social work examining board, the
10psychology examining board, and the radiography examining board shall not be
11engaged in any profession or occupation concerned with the delivery of physical or
12mental health care.
SB866,2 13Section 2. 15.08 (1m) (bm) of the statutes is created to read:
SB866,3,1614 15.08 (1m) (bm) The public members of the naturopathic medicine examining
15board may not have any financial interest in naturopathic education, business, or
16practice.
SB866,3
1Section 3. 15.405 (7f) of the statutes is created to read:
SB866,4,42 15.405 (7f) Naturopathic medicine examining board. There is created a
3naturopathic medicine examining board in the department of safety and professional
4services consisting of the following members appointed for 4-year terms:
SB866,4,55 (a) Four naturopathic doctors licensed under ch. 466.
SB866,4,86 (b) One physician licensed under ch. 448 who works as a primary care physician
7and who has experience in naturopathic medicine or working with naturopathic
8doctors.
SB866,4,99 (c) Two public members.