Madison – Today, the Assembly voted on a number of bills that would require the Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) to publish additional data and make other changes to the occupational licensing process. Representative Dave Considine (D-Baraboo) issued the following statement on the passage of these bills:
“The bills before me today do not solve the issues DSPS is facing when providing professionals with their licenses. Instead, the bills place unnecessary burdens on DSPS without any additional staffing or resources. There is a continued effort by my colleagues across the aisle to avoid solving the problem. We need solutions that get to the source of the problem.
“Governor Evers provided the legislature with an opportunity to get to the root of the problem. In Governor Evers’ budget proposal, there are meaningful investments in DSPS that would improve efficiencies and customer satisfaction. This includes funding to increase efficiency by upgrading technology infrastructure and automation, increased staffing in evaluating applications and customer service, and more. These investments directly address the issues that that my constituents and the department share with me.
“We must ensure that Wisconsin has high-quality professionals and that those professionals are able to get into the workforce in a timely manner. The bills we voted on today would not speed up the licensure process or improve the quality of professionals in Wisconsin. I encourage my colleagues to make investments in our workforce by investing in DSPS and other areas that make Wisconsin a great place to live. At a time where unemployment continues to be at a record low, we must invest in education, healthcare, transportation, and the environment in order to encourage people to live and work here.”
