LRB-3719/1
SWB:kjf
2015 - 2016 LEGISLATURE
December 3, 2015 - Introduced by Senators Roth,
Olsen, Bewley, Lassa and
Stroebel, cosponsored by Representatives Rohrkaste, Novak,
Ballweg,
Bernier, R. Brooks, Jacque, Kolste, Kremer, Murphy, A. Ott, Petryk, Ripp,
Steffen, Subeck, Tauchen, C. Taylor, VanderMeer and Kooyenga. Referred
to Committee on Workforce Development, Public Works, and Military Affairs.
SB402,1,3
1An Act to create 253.065 and 448.78 (4) (d) of the statutes;
relating to:
2establishment of a dietetic internship program and granting rule-making
3authority.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill establishes a dietetic internship program under the state
supplemental food program for women, infants, and children (WIC) through which
qualified nutritionists working for the Department of Health Services (DHS) or a
WIC local agency may obtain experience that qualifies as dietetics practice required
to become registered dietitian nutritionists.
Under current law, an individual seeking certification as a dietitian in this state
must meet certain requirements, including the completion of at least 900 hours of
supervised dietetics practice. Under the bill, a nutritionist who is employed by DHS
or a WIC local agency as part of the WIC program and who has met the educational
requirements for certification may be eligible to apply for an internship in the
dietetic internship program. The bill requires DHS to issue to each individual who
successfully completes the dietetic internship program a certificate of completion
that the individual may submit, and the Dietitians Affiliated Credentialing Board
must accept, as proof of completion of dietetics practice requirement for dietitian
certification. An individual must agree to work at least 24 months for the WIC
program upon completion of the internship program. The bill requires DHS to
ensure that the internship program meets the standards for accreditation by the
Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). DHS must
seek ACEND accreditation and may not begin accepting applicants for the
internship program until the accreditation is granted. If DHS determines that a
federal waiver is required, DHS must request a waiver from the federal Department
of Agriculture (USDA) and may then implement the program if the USDA approves
the waiver. Subject to the accreditation requirement, DHS, through the WIC
program, may sponsor the number of interns per year determined by DHS, beginning
in September 2017.
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:
SB402,1
1Section
1. 253.065 of the statutes is created to read:
SB402,2,10
2253.065 Dietetic internship program.
(1) The department shall establish
3a dietetic internship program to be sponsored and overseen as part of the state
4supplemental food program for women, infants, and children under s. 253.06. If the
5department determines that it may not implement or fund the program without a
6federal waiver, the department shall, no later than 6 months after the effective date
7of this subsection .... [LRB inserts date], request a waiver from the secretary of the
8federal department of agriculture. If a federal waiver is required, the department
9shall implement the program if the federal department of agriculture approves the
10waiver request.
SB402,2,14
11(2) Subject to sub. (8), the department, through the state supplemental food
12program for women, infants, and children under s. 253.06, may sponsor the number
13of interns per year determined by the department, beginning with a first class of
14interns in September 2017.
SB402,3,2
15(3) Unless the department grants an exception, in order to be eligible for the
16internship program under sub. (1), an applicant must, at the time of his or her
17selection, be employed as a nutritionist for the state supplemental food program for
1women, infants, and children under s. 253.06 by either the department or a local
2agency and have met the educational requirements under s. 448.78 (3).
SB402,3,10
3(4) The department or local agency shall continue to pay an employee who
4participates in the internship program his or her salary for noninternship-related
5work hours from the state supplemental food program for women, infants, and
6children under s. 253.06 (2) as funded from the appropriation under s. 20.435 (1)
7(em). The department or local agency may pay an employee who participates in the
8internship program his or her salary for internship-related work hours from the
9state supplemental food program for women, infants, and children under s. 253.06
10(2) as funded from the appropriation under s. 20.435 (1) (em).
SB402,3,16
11(5) The department shall issue to each individual who successfully completes
12the dietetic internship program under this section a certificate of completion that the
13individual may submit as verification of the completion of more than 900 hours of
14qualifying dietetics practice under s. 448.78 (4). The dietitians affiliated
15credentialing board shall accept certificates of completion issued under this
16subsection as satisfactory evidence under s. 448.78 (4).
SB402,3,25
17(6) Each participant in the internship program shall, upon successful
18completion of his or her internship, agree to work at least 24 months for the state
19supplemental food program for women, infants, and children under s. 253.06. If the
20participant terminates his or her employment with the state supplemental food
21program for women, infants, and children before completing his or her obligated time
22under this subsection, or fails to take the dietetic registration examination within
23one year of internship completion, the participant must reimburse the department
24or a local agency for any incurred costs associated with his or her participation in the
25internship, including any income paid for internship-related work.
SB402,4,2
1(7) (a) The department may promulgate rules necessary for administration of
2this section.
SB402,4,43
(b) For the internship program under this section, the department shall
4promulgate rules to establish all of the following:
SB402,4,75
1. Training criteria and program completion standards consistent with the
6accreditation standards required by the Accreditation Council for Education in
7Nutrition and Dietetics.
SB402,4,88
2. Application procedures.
SB402,4,109
3. In addition to the requirement under sub. (3), criteria and requirements for
10intern selection.
SB402,4,1211
4. Procedures for administration of the program by the state supplemental food
12program for women, infants, and children.
SB402,4,17
13(8) The department shall seek accreditation for the dietetic internship program
14under this section from the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and
15Dietetics. The department may not begin accepting applicants for the internship
16program unless the program is granted accreditation by the Accreditation Council
17for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics.
SB402,2
18Section
2. 448.78 (4) (d) of the statutes is created to read:
SB402,4,1919
448.78
(4) (d) The internship program under s. 253.065.
