SB616: Bill Text

2017 - 2018 LEGISLATURE

2017 Senate BILL 616

November 30, 2017 - Introduced by Senators Feyen, Darling, Bewley, Erpenbach and LeMahieu, cosponsored by Representatives Novak, Quinn, Vorpagel, Kooyenga, Petryk, Horlacher, Brostoff, Kitchens, Duchow and Tranel. Referred to Committee on Public Benefits, Licensing and State-Federal Relations.

SB616,1,2 An Act to amend 45.44 (3) (intro.) and 440.05 (intro.); and to create 440.052 of the statutes; relating to: fee waivers for certain occupational credentials.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill waives the fees for initial occupational credentials, granted by the Department of Safety and Professional Services or an examining board, affiliated credentialing board, or other board under DSPS, for a person whose family income does not exceed 180 percent of the federal poverty line.

The bill also includes a change to the veterans fee waiver program. Under that program in current law, a veteran is entitled to a fee waiver for an initial credential required to practice certain professions or occupations. The program limits a veteran to receiving a fee waiver only if the veteran has not already received a fee waiver under the program. This bill eliminates that limitation with respect to initial credentials issued by DSPS or an examining board, affiliated credentialing board, or other board under DSPS.

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:

SB616,1 Section 1 . 45.44 (3) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB616,2,5 45.44 (3) Eligibility. (intro.) For the purpose of being eligible for a license fee waiver under the program established under sub. (2), an applicant shall be applying for an initial license, shall not have received a previous fee waiver under the program for any type of license unless the applicant is applying for a license specified under sub. (1) (a) 16., and shall be all of the following:

SB616,2 Section 2 . 440.05 (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB616,2,9 440.05 Standard fees. (intro.) The Subject to s. 440.052, the following standard fees apply to all initial credentials, except as provided in ss. 440.51, 444.03, 444.11, 446.02 (2) (c), 447.04 (2) (c) 2., 448.07 (2), 449.17 (1m) (d), and 449.18 (2) (d):

SB616,3 Section 3 . 440.05 (intro.) of the statutes, as affected by 2015 Wisconsin Act 116 and 2017 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), is amended to read:

SB616,2,14 440.05 Standard fees. (intro.) Subject to s. 440.052, the following standard fees apply to all initial credentials, except as provided in ss. 440.51, 444.03, 444.11, 446.02 (2) (c), 447.04 (2) (c) 2., 448.07 (2), 449.17 (1m) (d), and 449.18 (2) (d):

SB616,4 Section 4 . 440.052 of the statutes is created to read:

SB616,2,22 440.052 Initial credential fee waiver. (1) In this section, “reciprocal credential” means a credential granted by a credentialing board, another board in the department, or the department to an applicant who holds a credential issued by a governmental authority in a jurisdiction outside this state authorizing or qualifying the applicant to perform acts that are substantially the same as those acts authorized by the credential granted by the credentialing board, other board in the department, or department.

SB616,3,2 (2) Notwithstanding chs. 440 to 480, no fee may be charged to an individual for an initial credential or for an initial reciprocal credential if the family income of the individual does not exceed 180 percent of the federal poverty line established under 42 USC 9902 (2).

SB616,5 Section 5 . Initial applicability.

SB616,3,7 (1) This act first applies to an application for an initial credential or an initial reciprocal credential under chapters 440 to 480 of the statutes received on the effective date of this subsection by the department of safety and professional services or an examining board, affiliated credentialing board, or other board.

SB616,6 Section 6 . Effective dates. This act takes effect on the day after publication, except as follows:

SB616,3,11 (1) The treatment of sections 440.05 (intro.) (by Section 2) and 440.052 of the statutes takes effect on the first day of the 4th month beginning after publication.

SB616,3,13 (2) The treatment of section 440.05 (intro.) (by Section 3) of the statutes takes effect on December 16, 2019.

SB616,3,14 (End)