1. The creation of a Physical Therapy Compact Commission (commission),
which includes one member of the licensure boards of each member state. The

commission has various powers and duties granted in the compact, including
overseeing the administration of the compact, enforcing the compact, adopting
bylaws, promulgating binding rules for the compact, employing an executive director
and employees, and establishing and electing an executive board. The commission
may levy on and collect an annual assessment from each member state or impose fees
on other parties to cover the cost of the operations and activities of the commission
and its staff.
2. A process whereby a licensee may obtain a compact privilege to practice in
another member state. A licensee's primary state of residence is considered to be his
or her home state, and any other member state in which the licensee wishes to
practice is considered a remote state. A licensee providing physical therapy in a
remote state under a compact privilege is subject to that state's regulatory authority.
A remote state may take action against a licensee's compact privilege in the remote
state, and the licensee is then not eligible for a compact privilege in any state until
certain criteria are met. If a licensee's compact privilege in any remote state is
removed, the individual loses his or her compact privilege in any remote state until
certain criteria are met. However, a home state has the exclusive power to impose
adverse action against a license issued by the home state. If a home state license is
encumbered (i.e., suspended), the licensee loses his or her compact privilege in any
remote state until certain criteria are met. Member states may charge a fee for
granting a compact privilege and may impose a jurisprudence requirement for
granting a compact privilege that assesses an individual's knowledge of the laws and
rules governing the practice of physical therapy in a particular state.
3. The ability for member boards to conduct joint investigations of licensees and
the ability of member states to issue subpoenas that are enforceable in other states.
4. The creation of a coordinated database and reporting system containing
licensure, adverse action, and investigative information on all licensed individuals
in member states. A member state must submit a uniform data set to the data system
on all individuals to whom this compact is applicable as required by the rules of the
commission.
5. Various provisions regarding resolutions of disputes between the
commission and member states and between member and nonmember states,
including a process for termination of a state's membership in the compact if the state
defaults on its obligations under the compact.
Having already been enacted by more than ten states, the compact becomes
effective in this state upon enactment of the bill. The compact provides that it may
be amended upon enactment of an amendment by all member states. A state may
withdraw from the compact by repealing the statute authorizing the compact, but the
compact provides that a withdrawal does not take effect until six months after the
effective date of that repeal.

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:
AB942,1 1Section 1. 14.88 of the statutes is created to read:
AB942,3,6 214.88 Physical therapy licensure compact. There is created a physical
3therapy compact commission as specified in s. 448.985. The administrator of the
4commission representing this state shall be an individual described in s. 448.985 (7)
5(b) 2. The commission has the powers and duties granted and imposed under s.
6448.985.
AB942,2 7Section 2. 146.81 (1) (dg) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB942,3,108 146.81 (1) (dg) A physical therapist or physical therapist assistant who is
9licensed under subch. III of ch. 448 or who holds a compact privilege under subch.
10IX of ch. 448
.
AB942,3 11Section 3. 146.997 (1) (d) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB942,3,1412 146.997 (1) (d) 4. A physician, podiatrist, or perfusionist, physical therapist,
13or physical therapist assistant licensed under ch. 448 or a physical therapist or
14physical therapist assistant who holds a compact privilege under subch. IX of ch. 448
.
AB942,4 15Section 4. 154.01 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB942,3,1816 154.01 (3) “Health care professional" means a person who is licensed, certified
17or registered under ch. 441, 448, or 455 or who holds a compact privilege under subch.
18IX of ch. 448
.
AB942,5 19Section 5. 155.01 (7) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB942,4,920 155.01 (7) “Health care provider" means a nurse licensed or permitted under
21ch. 441, a chiropractor licensed under ch. 446, a dentist licensed under ch. 447, a

1physician, physician assistant, perfusionist, podiatrist, physical therapist, physical
2therapist assistant, occupational therapist, or occupational therapy assistant
3licensed under ch. 448, a person practicing Christian Science treatment, an
4optometrist licensed under ch. 449, a psychologist licensed under ch. 455, a physical
5therapist or physical therapist assistant who holds a compact privilege under subch.
6IX of ch. 448,
a partnership thereof, a corporation or limited liability company thereof
7that provides health care services, a cooperative health care association organized
8under s. 185.981 that directly provides services through salaried employees in its
9own facility, or a home health agency, as defined in s. 50.49 (1) (a).
AB942,6 10Section 6. 252.14 (1) (ar) 4e. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB942,4,1311 252.14 (1) (ar) 4e. A physical therapist or physical therapist assistant who is
12licensed under subch. III of ch. 448 or who holds a compact privilege under subch.
13IX of ch. 448
.
AB942,7 14Section 7. 440.03 (9) (a) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB942,4,1815 440.03 (9) (a) (intro.) Subject to pars. (b) and (c), the department shall,
16biennially, determine each fee for an initial credential for which no examination is
17required, for a reciprocal credential, and for a credential renewal and any fee
18imposed under s. 448.986 (2)
by doing all of the following:
AB942,8 19Section 8. 440.03 (9) (a) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB942,5,820 440.03 (9) (a) 2. Not later than January 31 of each odd-numbered year,
21adjusting for the succeeding fiscal biennium each fee for an initial credential for
22which an examination is not required, for a reciprocal credential, and, subject to s.
23440.08 (2) (a), for a credential renewal, and any fee imposed under s. 448.986 (2), if
24an adjustment is necessary to reflect the approximate administrative and
25enforcement costs of the department that are attributable to the regulation of the

1particular occupation or business during the period in which the initial or reciprocal
2credential or, credential renewal , or compact privilege is in effect and, for purposes
3of each fee for a credential renewal, to reflect an estimate of any additional moneys
4available for the department's general program operations as a result of
5appropriation transfers that have been or are estimated to be made under s. 20.165
6(1) (i) during the fiscal biennium in progress at the time of the deadline for an
7adjustment under this subdivision or during the fiscal biennium beginning on the
8July 1 immediately following the deadline for an adjustment under this subdivision.
AB942,9 9Section 9. 440.03 (11m) (c) 2m. of the statutes is created to read:
AB942,5,1210 440.03 (11m) (c) 2m. The coordinated database and reporting system under s.
11448.985 (8), if such disclosure is required under the physical therapy licensure
12compact under s. 448.985.
AB942,10 13Section 10. 440.03 (13) (b) (intro.) of the statutes, as affected by 2017
14Wisconsin Act 135
, section 13, is amended to read:
AB942,5,2115 440.03 (13) (b) (intro.) The department may investigate whether an applicant
16for or holder of any of the following credentials has been charged with or convicted
17of a crime only pursuant to rules promulgated by the department under this
18paragraph, including rules that establish the criteria that the department will use
19to determine whether an investigation under this paragraph is necessary, except as
20provided in par. (c) and ss. 441.51 (5) (a) 5. and , 448.980 (5) (b) 3., and 448.985 (3) (a)
214.
:
AB942,11 22Section 11 . 440.03 (13) (b) (intro.) of the statutes, as affected by 2017
23Wisconsin Act 135
, section 14, and 2017 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), is repealed and
24recreated to read:
AB942,6,6
1440.03 (13) (b) (intro.) The department may investigate whether an applicant
2for or holder of any of the following credentials has been charged with or convicted
3of a crime only pursuant to rules promulgated by the department under this
4paragraph, including rules that establish the criteria that the department will use
5to determine whether an investigation under this paragraph is necessary, except as
6provided in par. (c) and ss. 441.51 (5) (a) 5. and 448.985 (3) (a) 4.:
AB942,12 7Section 12. 440.15 of the statutes, as affected by 2017 Wisconsin Act 135,
8section 16, is amended to read:
AB942,6,13 9440.15 No fingerprinting. Except as provided under ss. 440.03 (13) (c),
10441.51 (5) (a) 5., and 448.980 (5) (b) 3., and 448.985 (3) (a) 4., the department or a
11credentialing board may not require that an applicant for a credential or a credential
12holder be fingerprinted or submit fingerprints in connection with the department's
13or the credentialing board's credentialing.
AB942,13 14Section 13 . 440.15 of the statutes, as affected by 2017 Wisconsin Act 135,
15section 17, and 2017 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), is repealed and recreated to read:
AB942,6,20 16440.15 No fingerprinting. Except as provided under ss. 440.03 (13) (c),
17441.51 (5) (a) 5., and 448.985 (3) (a) 4., the department or a credentialing board may
18not require that an applicant for a credential or a credential holder be fingerprinted
19or submit fingerprints in connection with the department's or the credentialing
20board's credentialing.
AB942,14 21Section 14. 448.50 (1n) and (1o) of the statutes are created to read:
AB942,6,2322 448.50 (1n) “Compact” means the physical therapy licensure compact under
23s. 448.985.
AB942,6,25 24(1o) “Compact privilege” means a compact privilege, as defined in s. 448.985
25(2) (d), that is granted under the compact to an individual to practice in this state.
AB942,15
1Section 15. 448.50 (3) and (3m) of the statutes are amended to read:
AB942,7,42 448.50 (3) “Physical therapist" means an individual who has been graduated
3from a school of physical therapy and holds a license to practice physical therapy
4granted by the examining board or who holds a physical therapist compact privilege.
AB942,7,7 5(3m) “Physical therapist assistant" means an individual who holds a license
6as a physical therapist assistant granted by the examining board or who holds a
7physical therapist assistant compact privilege
.
AB942,16 8Section 16. 448.51 of the statutes is amended to read:
AB942,7,11 9448.51 License required. (1) Except as provided in s. 448.52, no person may
10practice physical therapy unless the person is licensed as a physical therapist under
11this subchapter or holds a valid physical therapist compact privilege.
AB942,7,20 12(1e) No person may designate himself or herself as a physical therapist or use
13or assume the title “physical therapist," “physiotherapist," “ physical therapy
14technician," “licensed physical therapist," “registered physical therapist," “master of
15physical therapy," “master of science in physical therapy," or “doctorate in physical
16therapy," or append to the person's name the letters “P.T.," “P.T.T.," “L.P.T.," ”R.P.T.,"
17“M.P.T.," “M.S.P.T.," or “D.P.T.," or any other title, letters, or designation that
18represents or may tend to represent the person as a physical therapist, unless the
19person is licensed as a physical therapist under this subchapter or holds a valid
20physical therapist compact privilege
.
AB942,8,2 21(1s) No person may designate himself or herself as a physical therapist
22assistant, use or assume the title “physical therapist assistant," or append to the
23person's name the letters “P.T.A." or any other title, letters, or designation that
24represents or may tend to represent the person as a physical therapist assistant

1unless the person is licensed as a physical therapist assistant under this subchapter
2or holds a valid physical therapist assistant compact privilege.
AB942,8,6 3(2) Except as provided in s. 448.52 (2m), no person may claim to render physical
4therapy or physiotherapy services unless the person is licensed as a physical
5therapist under this subchapter or holds a valid physical therapist compact
6privilege
.
AB942,17 7Section 17. 448.56 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB942,8,148 448.56 (2) Fee splitting. No licensee or compact privilege holder may give or
9receive, directly or indirectly, to or from any other person any fee, commission,
10rebate, or other form of compensation or anything of value for sending, referring, or
11otherwise inducing a person to communicate with a licensee or compact privilege
12holder
in a professional capacity, or for any professional services not actually
13rendered personally by the licensee or compact privilege holder or at the licensee's
14or compact privilege holder's direction.
AB942,18 15Section 18. 448.565 of the statutes is amended to read:
AB942,8,18 16448.565 Complaints. The examining board shall promulgate rules
17establishing procedures and requirements for filing complaints against licensees
18and compact holders and shall publicize the procedures and requirements.
AB942,19 19Section 19. 448.57 (2) (intro.), (c), (d) and (e), (4) and (5) of the statutes are
20amended to read:
AB942,8,2521 448.57 (2) (intro.) Subject to the rules promulgated under s. 440.03 (1), the
22examining board may reprimand a licensee or compact privilege holder or may deny,
23limit, suspend, or revoke a license granted under this subchapter or a compact
24privilege
if it finds that the applicant or , licensee, or compact privilege holder has
25done any of the following:
AB942,9,1
1(c) Advertised in a manner that is false, deceptive, or misleading.
AB942,9,22 (d) Advertised, practiced, or attempted to practice under another's name.
AB942,9,53 (e) Subject to ss. 111.321, 111.322, and 111.34, practiced or assisted in the
4practice of physical therapy while the applicant's or , licensee's, or compact privilege
5holder's
ability to practice or assist was impaired by alcohol or other drugs.
AB942,9,8 6(4) The examining board shall prepare and disseminate to the public an annual
7report that describes final disciplinary action taken against licensees and compact
8privilege holders
during the preceding year.
AB942,9,11 9(5) The examining board may report final disciplinary action taken against a
10licensee or compact privilege holder to any national database that includes
11information about disciplinary action taken against health care professionals.
AB942,20 12Section 20. 448.956 (1m) and (4) of the statutes are amended to read:
AB942,9,1913 448.956 (1m) Subject to sub. (1) (a), a licensee may provide athletic training
14to an individual without a referral, except that a licensee may not provide athletic
15training as described under s. 448.95 (5) (d) or (e) in an outpatient rehabilitation
16setting unless the licensee has obtained a written referral for the individual from a
17practitioner licensed or certified under subch. II, III, IV, V, or VII of this chapter;
18under ch. 446; or under s. 441.16 (2) or from a practitioner who holds a compact
19privilege under subch. IX of ch. 448
.
AB942,9,25 20(4) If a licensee or the consulting physician of the licensee determines that a
21patient's medical condition is beyond the scope of practice of the licensee, the licensee
22shall, in accordance with the protocol established under sub. (1) (a), refer the patient
23to a health care practitioner who is licensed under ch. 446 or 447 or subch. II, III or
24IV of ch. 448; or who holds a compact privilege under subch. IX of ch. 448 and who
25can provide appropriate treatment to the patient.
AB942,21
1Section 21. Subchapter IX of chapter 448 [precedes 448.985] of the statutes
2is created to read:
AB942,10,33 CHAPTER 448
AB942,10,64 SUBCHAPTER IX
5 Physical therapy
6 licensure compact
AB942,10,13 7448.985 Physical therapy licensure compact. (1) Purpose. (a) The
8purpose of this compact is to facilitate interstate practice of physical therapy with
9the goal of improving public access to physical therapy services. The practice of
10physical therapy occurs in the state where the patient/client is located at the time
11of the patient/client encounter. The compact preserves the regulatory authority of
12states to protect public health and safety through the current system of state
13licensure.
AB942,10,1414 (b) This compact is designed to achieve all of the following objectives:
AB942,10,1615 1. Increase public access to physical therapy services by providing for the
16mutual recognition of other member state licenses.
AB942,10,1717 2. Enhance the states' ability to protect the public's health and safety.
AB942,10,1918 3. Encourage the cooperation of member states in regulating multistate
19physical therapy practice.
AB942,10,2020 4. Support spouses of relocating military members.
AB942,10,2221 5. Enhance the exchange of licensure, investigative, and disciplinary
22information between member states.
AB942,10,2423 6. Allow a remote state to hold a provider of services with a compact privilege
24in that state accountable to that state's practice standards.
AB942,11,2
1(2) Definitions. As used in this compact, and except as otherwise provided, the
2following definitions shall apply:
AB942,11,53 (a) “Active duty military” means full-time duty status in the active uniformed
4service of the United States, including members of the National Guard and Reserve
5on active duty orders pursuant to 10 USC 1209 and 1211.
AB942,11,86 (b) “Adverse action” means disciplinary action taken by a physical therapy
7licensing board based upon misconduct, unacceptable performance, or a combination
8of both.
AB942,11,119 (c) “Alternative program” means a nondisciplinary monitoring or practice
10remediation process approved by a physical therapy licensing board. This includes,
11but is not limited to, substance abuse issues.
AB942,11,1612 (d) “Compact privilege” means the authorization granted by a remote state to
13allow a licensee from another member state to practice as a physical therapist or
14work as a physical therapist assistant in the remote state under its laws and rules.
15The practice of physical therapy occurs in the member state where the patient/client
16is located at the time of the patient/client encounter.
AB942,11,1917 (e) “Continuing competence” means a requirement, as a condition of license
18renewal, to provide evidence of participation in, and/or completion of, educational
19and professional activities relevant to practice or area of work.
AB942,11,2120 (f) “Data system” means a repository of information about licensees, including
21examination, licensure, investigative, compact privilege, and adverse action.
AB942,11,2322 (g) “Encumbered license” means a license that a physical therapy licensing
23board has limited in any way.
AB942,11,2524 (h) “Executive board” means a group of directors elected or appointed to act on
25behalf of, and within the powers granted to them by, the commission.
AB942,12,2
1(i) “Home state” means the member state that is the licensee's primary state
2of residence.
AB942,12,53 (j) “Investigative information” means information, records, and documents
4received or generated by a physical therapy licensing board pursuant to an
5investigation.
AB942,12,76 (k) “Jurisprudence requirement” means the assessment of an individual's
7knowledge of the laws and rules governing the practice of physical therapy in a state.
AB942,12,108 (L) “Licensee” means an individual who currently holds an authorization from
9the state to practice as a physical therapist or to work as a physical therapist
10assistant.
AB942,12,1111 (m) “Member state” means a state that has enacted the compact.
AB942,12,1312 (n) “Party state” means any member state in which a licensee holds a current
13license or compact privilege or is applying for a license or compact privilege.
AB942,12,1514 (o) “Physical therapist” means an individual who is licensed by a state to
15practice physical therapy.
AB942,12,1816 (p) “Physical therapist assistant” means an individual who is licensed/certified
17by a state and who assists the physical therapist in selected components of physical
18therapy.
AB942,12,2119 (q) “Physical therapy,” “physical therapy practice,” and “the practice of physical
20therapy” mean the care and services provided by or under the direction and
21supervision of a licensed physical therapist.
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