440.03(2)
(2) The department may provide examination development services, consultation and technical assistance to other state agencies, federal agencies, counties, cities, villages, towns, national or regional organizations of state credentialing agencies, similar credentialing agencies in other states, national or regional accrediting associations, and nonprofit organizations. The department may charge a fee sufficient to reimburse the department for the costs of providing such services. In this subsection, "nonprofit organization" means a nonprofit corporation as defined in
s. 181.0103 (17), and an organization exempt from tax under
26 USC 501.
440.03(3)
(3) If the secretary reorganizes the department, no modification may be made in the powers and responsibilities of the examining boards or affiliated credentialing boards attached to the department or an examining board under
s. 15.405 or
15.406.
440.03(3m)
(3m) The department may investigate complaints made against a person who has been issued a credential under
chs. 440 to
480.
440.03(3q)
(3q) Notwithstanding
sub. (3m), the department of safety and professional services shall investigate any report that it receives under
s. 146.40 (4r) (em).
440.03(4)
(4) The department may issue subpoenas for the attendance of witnesses and the production of documents or other materials prior to the commencement of disciplinary proceedings.
440.03(5)
(5) The department may investigate allegations of negligence by physicians licensed to practice medicine and surgery under
ch. 448.
440.03(5m)
(5m) The department shall maintain a toll-free telephone number to receive reports of allegations of unprofessional conduct, negligence or misconduct involving a physician licensed under
subch. II of ch. 448. The department shall publicize the toll-free telephone number and the investigative powers and duties of the department and the medical examining board as widely as possible in the state, including in hospitals, clinics, medical offices and other health care facilities.
440.03(6)
(6) The department shall have access to any information contained in the reports filed with the medical examining board, an affiliated credentialing board attached to the medical examining board and the board of nursing under
s. 655.045, as created by
1985 Wisconsin Act 29, and
s. 655.26.
440.03(7)
(7) The department shall establish the style, content and format of all credentials and of all forms for applying for any credential issued or renewed under
chs. 440 to
480. All forms shall include a place for the information required under
sub. (11m) (a). Upon request of any person who holds a credential and payment of a $10 fee, the department may issue a wall certificate signed by the governor.
440.03(7m)
(7m) The department may promulgate rules that establish procedures for submitting an application for a credential or credential renewal by electronic transmission. Any rules promulgated under this subsection shall specify procedures for complying with any requirement that a fee be submitted with the application. The rules may also waive any requirement in
chs. 440 to
480 that an application submitted to the department, an examining board or an affiliated credentialing board be executed, verified, signed, sworn or made under oath, notwithstanding
ss. 440.26 (2) (b),
440.91 (2) (intro.),
443.06 (1) (a),
443.10 (2) (a),
445.04 (2),
445.08 (4),
445.095 (1) (a),
448.05 (7),
450.09 (1) (a),
452.10 (1) and
480.08 (2m).
440.03(8)
(8) The department may promulgate rules requiring holders of certain credentials to do any of the following:
440.03(8)(a)
(a) Display the credential in a conspicuous place in the holder's office or place of practice or business, if the holder is not required by statute to do so.
440.03(8)(b)
(b) Post a notice in a conspicuous place in the holder's office or place of practice or business describing the procedures for filing a complaint against the holder.
440.03(9)(a)(a) Subject to
pars. (b) and
(c), the department shall, biennially, determine each fee for an initial credential for which no examination is required, for a reciprocal credential, and for a credential renewal by doing all of the following:
440.03(9)(a)1.
1. Recalculating the administrative and enforcement costs of the department that are attributable to the regulation of each occupation or business under
chs. 440 to
480.
440.03(9)(a)2.
2. Not later than January 31 of each odd-numbered year, adjusting for the succeeding fiscal biennium each fee for an initial credential for which an examination is not required, for a reciprocal credential, and, subject to
s. 440.08 (2) (a), for a credential renewal, if an adjustment is necessary to reflect the approximate administrative and enforcement costs of the department that are attributable to the regulation of the particular occupation or business during the period in which the initial or reciprocal credential or credential renewal is in effect and, for purposes of each fee for a credential renewal, to reflect an estimate of any additional moneys available for the department's general program operations as a result of appropriation transfers that have been or are estimated to be made under
s. 20.165 (1) (i) during the fiscal biennium in progress at the time of the deadline for an adjustment under this subdivision or during the fiscal biennium beginning on the July 1 immediately following the deadline for an adjustment under this subdivision.
440.03(9)(b)
(b) The department may not recommend an initial credential fee that exceeds the amount of the fee that the department recommends for a renewal of the same credential, if no examination is required for the initial credential.
440.03(9)(c)
(c) The cemetery board may by rule impose a fee in addition to the renewal fee determined by the department under this subsection for renewal of a license granted under
s. 440.91 (1).
440.03(9)(d)
(d) Not later than 14 days after completing proposed fee adjustments under
par. (a), the department shall send a report detailing the proposed fee adjustments to the cochairpersons of the joint committee on finance. If, within 14 working days after the date that the department submits the report, the cochairpersons of the committee notify the secretary that the committee has scheduled a meeting for the purpose of reviewing the proposed adjustments, the department may not impose the fee adjustments until the committee approves the report. If the cochairpersons of the committee do not notify the secretary, the department shall notify credential holders of the fee adjustments by posting the fee adjustments on the department's Internet Web site and in credential renewal notices sent to affected credential holders under
s. 440.08 (1).
440.03(11)
(11) The department shall cooperate with the department of health services to develop a program to use voluntary, uncompensated services of licensed or certified professionals to assist the department of health services in the evaluation of community mental health programs in exchange for continuing education credits for the professionals under
ss. 448.40 (2) (e) and
455.065 (5).
440.03(11m)(a)(a) Each application form for a credential issued or renewed under
chs. 440 to
480 shall provide a space for the department to require each of the following, other than an individual who does not have a social security number and who submits a statement made or subscribed under oath or affirmation as required under
par. (am), to provide his or her social security number:
440.03(11m)(a)1.
1. An applicant for an initial credential or credential renewal. If the applicant is not an individual, the department shall require the applicant to provide its federal employer identification number.
440.03(11m)(am)
(am) If an applicant specified in
par. (a) 1. or
2. is an individual who does not have a social security number, the applicant shall submit a statement made or subscribed under oath that the applicant does not have a social security number. The form of the statement shall be prescribed by the department of children and families. A credential or license issued in reliance upon a false statement submitted under this paragraph is invalid.
440.03(11m)(b)
(b) The real estate examining board shall deny an application for an initial credential or deny an application for credential renewal or for reinstatement of an inactive license under
s. 452.12 (6) (e) if any information required under
par. (a) is not included in the application form or, in the case of an applicant who is an individual and who does not have a social security number, if the statement required under
par. (am) is not included with the application form.
440.03(11m)(c)
(c) The department of safety and professional services may not disclose a social security number obtained under
par. (a) to any person except the coordinated licensure information system under
s. 441.50 (7); the department of children and families for purposes of administering
s. 49.22; and, for a social security number obtained under
par. (a) 1., the department of revenue for the purpose of requesting certifications under
s. 73.0301 and administering state taxes and the department of workforce development for the purpose of requesting certifications under
s. 108.227.
440.03(12m)
(12m) The department of safety and professional services shall cooperate with the departments of justice, children and families, and health services in developing and maintaining a computer linkup to provide access to information regarding the current status of a credential issued to any person by the department of safety and professional services, including whether that credential has been restricted in any way.
440.03(13)(a)(a) The department may conduct an investigation to determine whether an applicant for a credential issued under
chs. 440 to
480 satisfies any of the eligibility requirements specified for the credential, including whether the applicant does not have an arrest or conviction record. In conducting an investigation under this paragraph, the department may require an applicant to provide any information that is necessary for the investigation, except that, for an investigation of an arrest or conviction record, the department shall comply with the requirements of
pars. (b) and
(c).
440.03(13)(am)
(am) A person holding a credential under
chs. 440 to
480 who is convicted of a felony or misdemeanor anywhere shall send a notice of the conviction by 1st class mail to the department within 48 hours after the entry of the judgment of conviction. The department shall by rule determine what information and documentation the person holding the credential shall include with the written notice.
440.03(13)(b)
(b) The department may investigate whether an applicant for or holder of any of the following credentials has been charged with or convicted of a crime only pursuant to rules promulgated by the department under this paragraph, including rules that establish the criteria that the department will use to determine whether an investigation under this paragraph is necessary, except as provided in
par. (c):
440.03(13)(b)5m.
5m. Substance abuse counselor, clinical supervisor, or prevention specialist.
440.03 Note
NOTE: Subd. 38m. is created by
2013 Wis. Act 244 effective the 1st day of the 3rd month beginning after the legislative reference bureau receives the notice from the dentistry examining board under section 15 (1) of Act 244.
