Madison, WI – Today State Representative Paul Tittl (R-Manitowoc) released the following statement regarding Assembly Bill 267 co-authored with Senator Kathy Bernier after he testified before the Assembly Committee on Ways and Means in a public hearing:
“In numerous discussions with psychiatrists, there has been a consistent call to attract the practice of psychiatry.”
Fifty-four of Wisconsin’s seventy-two counties face a “significant shortage” of psychiatrists, and 30 have no practicing psychiatrist at all.
“This shortage has a significant effect on the mental health of people throughout the state.”
This legislation creates a tax incentive for psychiatrists graduating from medical school who stay in Wisconsin to practice psychiatry. The tax incentive also extends to psychiatrists from other states who move to Wisconsin to practice.
Under the bill, psychiatrists practicing in underserved areas of the state could claim a deduction for the first $200,000 of income earned in a taxable year. Psychiatrists serving in other areas could claim a $100,000 deduction.
When people suffer with untreated mental health matters, their situations often get worse, become more difficult to address, and spill over into family, social and employment settings, leading to significantly higher financial and social costs.
“Attracting psychiatrists to our state and addressing these situations today is better than leaving them for our children and grandchildren to handle when the problems have grown even larger.”
The bill received bipartisan support and awaits a public hearing in the Senate Committee on Financial Institutions and Revenue.
The 25th Assembly District includes portions of Calumet and Manitowoc Counties.
