Elimination of the Department of Safety and Professional Services and the Department of Financial Institutions; elimination of the Educational Approval Board; creation of the Department of Financial Institutions and Professional Standards; transfer of the Veterinary Examining Board to the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures; requiring the exercise of rule-making authority; and making appropriations. (FE)

Under current law, the Department of Administration (DOA) administers disabled veteran-owned business certifications, woman-owned business certifications, and minority business certifications that are designed to encourage the creation and foster the growth of Wisconsin businesses owned by women, disabled veterans, or minorities. A business that qualifies for and maintains one of those certifications may be eligible to receive certain advantages bidding on public projects and other benefits. This bill transfers the administration of those certifications to DFIPS.

Also under current law, there is attached to DOA a Small Business Regulatory Review Board, which is tasked with reviewing and making reports concerning proposed administrative rules that may have an economic impact on small businesses. The Small Business Regulatory Review Board is advised by the Office of Business Development, which is also attached to DOA. The bill transfers the Small Business Regulatory Review Board and the Office of Business Development from DOA to DFIPS.

education Under current law, the Educational Approval Board (EAB), which is attached to the Technical College System Board, inspects and approves private trade, correspondence, business, and technical schools. The EAB also issues permits to, and regulates, persons who solicit students for enrollment in these schools. The EAB also performs certain functions related to the preservation of student records at closed schools. The EAB also has certain consumer protection functions related to deceptive practices involving institutions of higher education.

This bill eliminates the EAB. The bill eliminates some current functions of the EAB, transfers some functions to DFIPS, and transfers some functions to the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP). Under the bill, DFIPS must, upon application, issue written authorization to a proprietary school if the school meets requirements established by rule by DFIPS. One requirement is that the school must have accreditation recognized by the federal Department of Education or by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. The EAB's record preservation functions are also transferred to DFIPS. Certain consumer protection functions of the EAB are transferred to DATCP.

health and human services The bill transfers oversight of tattooing, body piercing, and tanning from the Department of Health Services, which currently regulates those areas, to DFIPS.

Safety and professional services Under current law, the Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) and the various boards and councils attached to DSPS regulate professional licensure and buildings and safety in Wisconsin. This bill eliminates DSPS and transfers all of its functions to DFIPS. The bill attaches to DFIPS the various boards and councils attached to DSPS under current law, except that the bill transfers the Veterinary Examining Board to DATCP.

Under current law, DSPS administers the laws regulating private on-site wastewater treatment systems. Generally, a private on-site wastewater treatment system is a sewage treatment and disposal system serving a single structure with a septic tank and soil absorption field located on the same parcel as the structure.

Current law also requires certain local governmental units to enact ordinances regulating private on-site wastewater treatment systems.

This bill transfers DSPS's responsibilities with respect to administration of the laws regulating private on-site wastewater treatment systems to the Department of Natural Resources, except that the bill eliminates a grant program for individuals and businesses served by failing private on-site wastewater treatment systems.