MADISON, WI – On Thursday morning, the Wisconsin State Assembly passed Assembly Bill
292 with a unanimous voice vote. Representative Jon Plumer (R – Lodi) and Senator Kathy
Bernier (R – Chippewa Falls) authored this bill to assist local government who struggle to find members for local boards of health.
Currently, Wisconsin statutes require appointing authorities for local health boards to make a good faith effort to appoint a registered nurse and physician to their boards. In many areas of the state, especially rural areas, local governments have struggled to find medical professionals who are willing to volunteer their time by serving on their local health board. Assembly Bill 292 allows local appointing authorities that are unable to find a physician or registered nurse to serve on a local health board to instead appoint an advanced practice registered nurse or physician assistant to the board.
“I was glad to see widespread support for this common sense legislation,” said Rep. Plumer.
“This bill gives our local governments the ability to utilize the knowledge of our advance
practice providers when it best suits their situations. I urge my colleagues in the senate to take up this legislation as soon as possible.”
Assembly Bill 292 is supported by the Wisconsin Counties Association, the League of
Wisconsin Municipalities, the Wisconsin Association of Local Health Departments, the
Wisconsin Public Health Association, and the Wisconsin Nurses Association.
