This bill changes the Occupational Therapists Affiliated Credentialing Board to the Occupational Therapy Examining Board. Except that the board will no longer be attached to or advised by the Medical Examining Board, the Occupational Therapy Examining Board’s duties and responsibilities remain the same under the bill.

AB959,,6614.89 Occupational therapy licensure compact. There is created an occupational therapy compact commission as specified in s. 448.987 465.50. The delegate of the commission representing this state shall be an individual described in s. 448.987 465.50 (8) (b) 2. The commission has the powers and duties granted and imposed under s. 448.987 465.50.

AB959,,8815.08 (1m) (b) The public members of the chiropractic examining board, the dentistry examining board, the hearing and speech examining board, the medical examining board, the naturopathic medicine examining board, the physical therapy examining board, the occupational therapy examining board, the perfusionists examining council, the respiratory care practitioners examining council, the board of nursing, the nursing home administrator examining board, the veterinary examining board, the optometry examining board, the pharmacy examining board, the marriage and family therapy, professional counseling, and social work examining board, the psychology examining board, and the radiography examining board shall not be engaged in any profession or occupation concerned with the delivery of physical or mental health care.

AB959,,101015.085 (1m) (b) The public members of the podiatry affiliated credentialing board, the occupational therapists affiliated credentialing board, the physician assistant affiliated credentialing board, and the genetic counselors affiliated credentialing board shall not be engaged in any profession or occupation concerned with the delivery of physical or mental health care.

AB959,,121215.405 (7t) Occupational therapists affiliated credentialing therapy examining board. (intro.) There is created in the department of safety and professional services, attached to the medical examining board, an occupational therapists affiliated credentialing therapy examining board consisting of the following members appointed for 4-year terms:

AB959,,1313(a) Three occupational therapists who are licensed under subch. VII of ch. 448 I of ch. 465.

AB959,,1414(b) Two occupational therapy assistants who are licensed under subch. VII of ch. 448 I of ch. 465.

AB959,,161649.45 (8) (a) 3. “Occupational therapist” has the meaning given in s. 448.96 (4) 465.01 (7).

AB959,,181849.45 (9r) (a) 7. c. An occupational therapist who is licensed under subch. VII I of ch. 448 465 or who holds a compact privilege under subch. XII II of ch. 448 465.

AB959,,202050.01 (2) “Nurse aide” means a person who performs routine patient care duties delegated by a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse who supervises the person, for the direct health care of a patient or resident. “Nurse aide” does not mean a feeding assistant, as defined in s. 146.40 (1) (aw); a person who is licensed, permitted, certified, or registered under ch. 441, 448, 449, 450, 451, 455, 459, or 460, or 465; or a person whose duties primarily involve skills that are different than those taught in instructional programs for nurse aides.

AB959,,222250.39 (3) Facilities governed by ss. 45.50, 48.62, 49.70, 49.72, 50.02, 51.09, and 252.10, juvenile correctional facilities as defined in s. 938.02 (10p), correctional institutions governed by the department of corrections under s. 301.02, and the offices and clinics of persons licensed to treat the sick under chs. 446, 447, and 448, and 465 are exempt from ss. 50.32 to 50.39. Sections 50.32 to 50.39 do not abridge the rights of the medical examining board, physician assistant affiliated credentialing board, physical therapy examining board, occupational therapy examining board, podiatry affiliated credentialing board, dentistry examining board, pharmacy examining board, chiropractic examining board, and board of nursing in carrying out their statutory duties and responsibilities.

AB959,,242450.50 (7m) “Occupational therapy” has the meaning given in s. 448.96 (5) 465.01 (8).

AB959,,2626146.40 (1) (d) “Nurse aide” means an individual who performs routine patient care duties delegated by a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse who supervises the individual, for the direct health care of a patient or resident. “Nurse aide” does not mean a feeding assistant, an individual who is licensed, permitted, certified, or registered under ch. 441, 448, 449, 450, 451, 455, 459, or 460, or 465 or an individual whose duties primarily involve skills that are different than those taught in instructional programs for nurse aides approved under sub. (3) or (3g) or evaluated by competency evaluation programs for nurse aides approved under sub. (3m).

AB959,,2828146.81 (1) (es) An occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant who is licensed under subch. VII I of ch. 448 465 or who holds a compact privilege under subch. XII II of ch. 448 465.