The dust has officially settled on the 2023-24 legislative session! A combined total of 2,458 pieces of legislation were introduced this session (1,113 in the Senate and 1,229 in the Assembly).  Of these, 277 were signed into law and 70 were vetoed.

WRS's full bill list is attached. And here is a quick recap of where the main bills of interest ended up. All bills that did not pass this session are dead and need to be re-introduced at the start of the next legislative session, which begins in January 2025. 

Signed Into Law

Graduate Medical Education: Governor Evers signed Senate Bill 643, authored by Senator Romaine Quinn (R-Cameron) and Representative Novak (R-Dodgeville), into law as 2023 Wisconsin Act 185. Act 185 makes updates to the graduate medical training grant program. This includes eliminating the current $225,000 cap on grants. It also requires DHS to award a grant to a hospital that received one in the previous year without requiring them to reapply, as long as they still meet the eligibility requirements. It also creates a new, $375,000 grant program for graduate medical training consortia.

International Physician Provisional License: Governor Evers signed Assembly Bill 954, authored by Senator Cory Tomczyk (R-Mosinee) and Representative Representative Calvin Callahan (R-Tomahawk), into law as 2023 Wisconsin Act 214. Act 214 creates a provisional license to practice medicine for international physicians who meet specific criteria. An international physician with a provisional license would be required to work under the supervision of a physician who is licensed to practice in Wisconsin. Every 6 months, a provisional license holder would need to submit a report to the MEB. A provisional license will be converted to a permanent license after the international physician has worked full-time in Wisconsin for three consecutive years.

Vetoed

APRN Independent Practice: Senate Bill 145/Assembly Bill 154, authored by  Senator Patrick Testin (R-Stevens Point) and Representative Gae Magnafici (R-Dresser), would have allowed APRNs to practice independently after three years of working under physician supervision.

This bill was passed by both houses of the Legislature but ultimately vetoed by the Governor for failing to incorporate compromises proposed by WMS and physician stakeholders, including raising the experience requirement and creating “truth in advertising” protections related to physician titles. 

Preliminary Licenses for Health Care Credentials: Senate Bill 158/Assembly Bill 144, authored by Senator Rachael Cabral-Guevara (R-Appleton) and Representative Joy Goeben (R-Hobart), would have created a preliminary license for health care credentials--including radiographers and physicians--at DSPS. Recent graduates (people who graduated within the last two years) hired by a health care employer could have applied for a preliminary license when they submitted their permanent license request. The preliminary credential would have expired once DSPS acted on their permanent credential application.

This bill was passed by both houses of the Legislature but ultimately vetoed by Governor Evers. "I am vetoing this bill because I object to potentially reducing patient protections from individuals who have a disqualifying criminal background by allowing unlicensed individuals to receive preliminary healthcare credentials based solely upon their own attestations and employer conducted background checks," wrote Governor Evers in his veto message.

Failed to Pass

Physician Title Protection/Truth-in-Advertising: Senate Bill 143/Assembly Bill 317, authored by Senator Rachael Cabral-Guevara (R-Appleton) and Representative Gae Magnafici (R-Dresser), would have prevented anyone other than a licensed physician from using physician-related titles (like radiologist) in their professional title, advertising or description of services.

This bill received a public hearing before the Senate Committee on Health, which ultimately voted 2-4 on passage, effectively killing it.

Breast Cancer Supplemental Screening: Senate Bill 121/Assembly Bill 117, authored by Senator Rachel Cabral Guevara (R-Appleton) and Nate Gustafson (R-Fox Crossing), would have provided coverage without cost-sharing for supplemental breast exams (MRI, ultrasound) and diagnostic breast imaging for women who either have dense breasts or meet National Comprehensive Cancer Network increased risk guidelines. An amendment was later adopted which would have only allowed for no-cost coverage of ultrasounds.

The amended version of the bill was passed by both the Senate Committee on Health and the Assembly Committee on Health, Aging and Long-term Care, but it never received a floor vote in either house.

Temporary practice of out-of-state credential holders: Assembly Bill 205/Senate Bill 194, authored by the Joint Legislative Council Committee, would have expanded the current law allowing certain out-of-state health care providers to practice in Wisconsin while awaiting a Wisconsin license to include non-health care professions as well as several health professions that were not included in the original law like radiographers. Physicians are already covered by this law and can receive Act 10 temporary licenses.

This bill was passed 62-34 by the Assembly in June 2023, but never acted on by the full Senate.

Telehealth Provided by Out-of-State Providers: Senate Bill 823/Assembly Bill 875, authored by Senator Rob Stafsholt (R-New Richmond) and Representative Nate Gustafson (R-Fox Crossing), would have allowed out-of-state providers to provide telehealth without a Wisconsin license.

Senate Bill 823 was passed by the full Senate on a voice vote on March 12, 2024, but no action was taken on it by the full Assembly.