Chapter 146

146.60(6) (6) Confidential treatment of records.

146.60(6)(a) (a) Except as provided in pars. (b) and (c), the departments shall keep confidential any information received under this section if the person submitting the information notifies the departments that any of the following applies to that information:

146.60(6)(a)1. 1. The federal regulator to which the information has been submitted has determined that the information is entitled to confidential treatment and is not subject to public disclosure under 5 USC 552 or under the coordinated framework.

146.60(6)(a)2. 2. The person submitting the information to the departments has submitted a claim to the federal regulator that the information is entitled to confidential treatment under 5 USC 552 or under the coordinated framework, and the federal regulator has not made a determination on the claim.

146.60(6)(b) (b) Paragraph (a) shall not prevent the departments from exchanging information under sub. (3) (c) or (4) (c) or from using the information for the purposes of sub. (4) (d) or (e), subject to the requirements under par. (d). Any person receiving such information is subject to the penalty specified under sub. (9) (b) for the unauthorized release of that information.

146.60(6)(c) (c) The departments shall allow public access to any information which has been granted confidentiality under par. (a) if any of the following occurs:

146.60(6)(c)1. 1. The person providing the information to the departments expressly agrees to the public access to the information.

146.60(6)(c)2. 2. After information has been granted confidentiality under par. (a) 2., the federal regulator makes a determination that the information is not entitled to confidential treatment under 5 USC 552 or under the coordinated framework.

146.60(6)(c)3. 3. Either of the departments determines that:

146.60(6)(c)3.a. a. The person providing the information to the departments has not submitted that information under par. (a) or a claim under par. (a) 2. to the federal regulator; or

146.60(6)(c)3.b. b. The federal regulator to which the information has been submitted has determined that the information is not entitled to confidential treatment and is subject to public disclosure under 5 USC 552 or under the coordinated framework.

146.60(6)(d) (d)

146.60(6)(d)1. 1. The departments shall establish procedures to protect information required to be kept confidential under par. (a). Under the procedure, the departments may not submit any information under sub. (4) (d) or (e) to any person who is not an employee of either of the departments unless that person has signed an agreement which satisfies the requirements of subd. 2.

146.60(6)(d)2. 2. The agreement required under subd. 1. shall provide that information which is the subject of the agreement is subject to confidential treatment, shall prohibit the release or sharing of the information with any other person except at the direction of the reviewing department and in compliance with this section, shall acknowledge the penalties in sub. (9), s. 134.90 and any other applicable state law identified by the departments for the unauthorized disclosure of the information and shall contain a statement that the person receiving the information, any member of his or her immediate family or any organization with which he or she is associated has no substantial financial interest in the regulated release which is the subject of the information. Any person submitting the information under sub. (3) or (4) may waive any of the requirements under this subdivision.

146.60(7) (7) Exemptions.

146.60(7)(a) (a) This section does not apply to any of the following which is intended for human use and regulated under 21 USC 301 to 392 or 42 USC 262:

146.60(7)(a)1. 1. Drug.

146.60(7)(a)2. 2. Cosmetic.

146.60(7)(a)3. 3. Medical device.

146.60(7)(a)4. 4. Biological product.

146.60(7)(b) (b) A reviewing department may waive part or all of the requirements under sub. (3) for a specified regulated release if the reviewing department determines that the satisfaction of that requirement is not necessary to protect the public health or the environment.

146.60(7)(c) (c) A reviewing department may exempt a class of regulated releases from part or all of any requirement under sub. (3) if the department determines that the satisfaction of that requirement or part of a requirement is not necessary to protect the public health or the environment.

146.60(8) (8) Enforcement. The attorney general shall enforce subs. (3) and (6). The circuit court for Dane County or for the county where a violation occurred in whole or in part has jurisdiction to enforce this section by injunctive and other relief appropriate for enforcement. In an enforcement action under this section, if it is determined that a person commenced a regulated release and did not comply with sub. (3), the court shall issue an injunction directing the person to prevent or terminate the regulated release.

146.60(9) (9) Penalties.

146.60(9)(a) (a) Any person who fails to submit the information required under sub. (3) and has not commenced a regulated release shall forfeit not more than $100 for each violation. Any person who commences or continues a regulated release without having submitted the information required under sub. (3) shall forfeit not less than $10 nor more than $25,000 for each violation. Each day of continued violation under this paragraph is a separate offense.

146.60(9)(ag) (ag) Any person who intentionally violates sub. (3) after commencing a regulated release shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $25,000 or imprisoned for not more than one year in the county jail or both.

146.60(9)(am) (am) For a 2nd or subsequent violation under par. (ag), a person may be fined not more than $50,000 or imprisoned for not more than 9 months or both.

146.60(9)(ao) (ao) Each day of continued violation under pars. (ag) and (am) is a separate offense.

146.60(9)(b) (b) Any person who intentionally violates any requirement under sub. (6) (a) or (b) shall be fined not less than $50 nor more than $50,000 or imprisoned for not less than one month nor more than 6 months or both.

146.60(9)(bm) (bm) In pars. (ag) and (b), “intentionally” has the meaning given under s. 939.23 (3).

146.60(9)(c) (c) Paragraphs (a) and (ag) do not apply to any person who provides the information required under sub. (3) to either of the departments.

146.60(10) (10) Relation to other laws. The authority, power and remedies provided in this section are in addition to any authority, power or remedy provided in any other statutes or provided at common law.

146.60 History History: 1989 a. 15; 1993 a. 213; 1995 a. 27 s. 9126 (19); 1997 a. 283; 2001 a. 109; 2007 a. 20 s. 9121 (6) (a).

146.615 146.615 Advanced practice clinician training grants.

146.615(1) (1) In this section:

146.615(1)(a) (a) “Advanced practice clinician” means a physician assistant or an advanced practice nurse, including a nurse practitioner, certified nurse-midwife, clinical nurse specialist, or certified registered nurse anesthetist.

146.615(1)(b) (b) “Clinic” has the meaning given in s. 146.903 (1) (b).

146.615(1)(c) (c) “Hospital” has the meaning given in s. 50.33 (2).

146.615(1)(d) (d) “Rural clinic” means a clinic that is located in a city, town, or village in this state that has a population of less than 20,000.

146.615(1)(e) (e) “Rural hospital” means a hospital that is located in a city, town, or village in this state that has a population of less than 20,000.

146.615(2) (2) Beginning in fiscal year 2018-19, from the appropriation under s. 20.435 (1) (fk), subject to sub. (3), the department shall distribute grants to hospitals and clinics that provide new training opportunities for advanced practice clinicians. The department shall distribute the grants under this section to hospitals and clinics that apply, in the form and manner determined by the department, to receive grants and that satisfy the criteria under sub. (3).

146.615(3) (3) 

146.615(3)(a) (a) The department may distribute up to $50,000 per fiscal year per hospital or clinic.

146.615(3)(b) (b) If the department distributes a grant to a hospital or clinic that has not previously received a grant under this section, the hospital or clinic receiving the grant may use the grant to create the education and infrastructure for training advanced practice clinicians or for activities authorized under par. (c). In distributing grants under this section, the department shall give preference to advanced practice clinician clinical training programs that include rural hospitals and rural clinics as clinical training locations.

146.615(3)(c) (c) If the department distributes a grant to a hospital or clinic that has previously received a grant under this section, the department shall require the hospital or clinic to use the grant to pay for the costs of operating a clinical training program for advanced practice clinicians, which may include any of the following:

146.615(3)(c)1. 1. Required books and materials.

146.615(3)(c)2. 2. Tuition and fees.

146.615(3)(c)3. 3. Stipends for reasonable living expenses.

146.615(3)(c)4. 4. Preceptor costs, including preceptor compensation attributable to training, certification requirements, travel, and advanced practice clinician training.

146.615(3)(d) (d) A recipient awarded a grant under this section shall match through its own funding sources the amount of the grant distributed by the department for the purposes of operating an advanced practice clinician rotation.

146.615(4) (4) A hospital or clinic sponsoring a training program for advanced practice clinicians supported by a grant under this section may determine what, if any, posteducation requirements must be fulfilled by participants in the training program for advanced practice clinicians.

146.615 History History: 2017 a. 59; 2021 a. 240 s. 30.

146.616 146.616 Allied health professional education and training grants.

146.616(1) (1) In this section:

146.616(1)(a) (a) “Allied health professional” means any individual who is a health care provider other than a physician, dentist, pharmacist, chiropractor, or podiatrist and who provides diagnostic, technical, therapeutic, or direct patient care and support services to the patient.

146.616(1)(b) (b) “Clinic” has the meaning given in s. 146.903 (1) (b).

146.616(1)(c) (c) “Hospital” has the meaning given in s. 50.33 (2).

146.616(1)(d) (d) “Rural clinic” means a clinic that is located in a city, town, or village in this state that has a population of less than 20,000.

146.616(1)(e) (e) “Rural hospital” means a hospital that is located in a city, town, or village in this state that has a population of less than 20,000.

146.616(2) (2) Beginning in fiscal year 2018-19, from the appropriation under s. 20.435 (1) (fi), subject to subs. (3) to (5), the department shall distribute grants to hospitals, health systems, and educational entities that form health care education and training consortia for allied health professionals. The department shall distribute the grants under this section to hospitals, health systems, and educational entities that apply, in the form and manner determined by the department, to receive a grant and that satisfy the requirements established by the department under sub. (4).

146.616(3) (3) 

146.616(3)(a) (a) The department may distribute up to $125,000 per fiscal year per consortium to be used for any of the following:

146.616(3)(a)1. 1. Curriculum and faculty development.

146.616(3)(a)2. 2. Tuition reimbursement.

146.616(3)(a)3. 3. Clinical site or simulation expenses.

146.616(3)(b) (b) A recipient awarded a grant under this section shall match through its own funding sources the amount of the grant distributed by the department for the purposes of operating an allied health professional training consortium.

146.616(4) (4) The department shall determine the requirements for the formation of health care education and training consortia for allied health professionals.

146.616(5) (5) In distributing grants under this section, the department shall give preference to rural hospitals, health systems with a rural hospital or rural clinic, and rural educational entities.

146.616 History History: 2017 a. 59; 2023 a. 19.

146.618 146.618 Treatment program grants. From s. 20.435 (5) (bg) or any available federal moneys, the department shall distribute a total of $750,000 in grants in each fiscal year to support treatment programs. Grant recipients shall use moneys awarded under this section for supervision, training, and resources, including salaries, benefits, and other related costs.

146.618 History History: 2019 a. 9; 2021 a. 58.

146.62 146.62 Rural hospital loan program.

146.62(1) (1) Definition. In this section:

146.62(1)(a) (a) “Hospital” has the meaning given under s. 50.33 (2).

146.62(1)(b) (b) “Rural” means outside a metropolitan statistical area, as specified under 42 CFR 412.62 (f) (ii) (A).

146.62(4) (4) Departmental duties. The department shall negotiate with each recipient of a loan made under s. 146.62 (2) and (3), 1989 stats., the schedule of repayments and collect the loan repayments as they are due. Loan repayments shall be deposited in the general fund. Except as provided in sub. (5), repayment for each loan shall begin no later than 12 months after the project funded under the loan begins operation.

146.62(5) (5) Loan forgiveness. If a rural hospital that receives a loan under s. 146.62 (2) and (3), 1989 stats., is unable to undertake the proposed project, the rural hospital may submit to the department a final report concerning the feasibility of loan repayment. The department shall review the report and may forgive all or part of the loan.

146.62 History History: 1989 a. 31; 1991 a. 39; 1993 a. 16; 2011 a. 258.

146.63 146.63 Grants to establish graduate medical training programs.

146.63(1) (1) Definition. In this section, “rural hospital” means a hospital, as defined under s. 50.33 (2), that is not located in a 1st class city.

146.63(2) (2) Departmental duties.

146.63(2)(a) (a) Subject to subs. (4) and (5), the department shall distribute grants from the appropriation under s. 20.435 (4) (bf) to assist rural hospitals and groups of rural hospitals in procuring infrastructure and increasing case volume to the extent necessary to develop accredited graduate medical training programs. The department shall distribute the grants under this paragraph to rural hospitals and groups of rural hospitals that apply to receive a grant under sub. (3) and that satisfy the criteria established by the department under par. (b) and the eligibility requirement under sub. (6).

146.63(2)(b) (b) The department shall establish criteria for approving and distributing grants under par. (a) and criteria for approving plans under sub. (3).

146.63(3) (3) Grant application. A rural hospital or group of rural hospitals may apply, in the form and manner determined by the department, to receive a grant under sub. (2) (a). The rural hospital or group of rural hospitals shall include in the application a plan to use the funds to procure infrastructure or increase case volume to the extent necessary to develop an accredited graduate medical training program at the rural hospital or group of rural hospitals and a plan to satisfy the matching requirement under sub. (4).

146.63(4) (4) Matching funds. The department may not distribute a grant under sub. (2) (a) unless the rural hospital or group of rural hospitals offers to provide matching funds in an amount determined by the department.

146.63(5) (5) Term of grants. The department may not distribute a grant under sub. (2) (a) for a term that is more than 5 years to a rural hospital or group of rural hospitals.

146.63(6) (6) Eligibility. A rural hospital or group of rural hospitals may receive a grant under sub. (3) if the plan to use the funds involves developing an accredited graduate medical training program in a specialty.

146.63 History History: 2013 a. 20; 2019 a. 9; 2023 a. 19, 185.

146.64 146.64 Grants to support graduate medical training programs.