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Bills from the 2021–22 session

Senate Bill 309

Funding for free and charitable clinics and defining telehealth. (FE)

Became law

The governor signed it on Feb 7, 2022. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Apr 21, 2021

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Nov 8, 2021

  4. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed 95 to 0

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2021 Wisconsin Act 121

Latest entry in the official record, Feb 7, 2022: “Published 2-5-2022”

Read the bill

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What it does

Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

This bill defines “free and charitable clinics” as health care organizations that use a volunteer and staff model to provide health services to uninsured, underinsured, underserved, economically and socially disadvantaged, and vulnerable populations and that meet criteria specified in the bill. The bill incorporates into statutory language an allocation made in the biennial budget act, 2019 Wisconsin Act 9 , that requires the Department of Health Services to give $500,000 in grants annually to free and charitable clinics.

Additionally, this bill incorporates the definitions of “telehealth” and other related terms from the Medical Assistance program into the statutory chapters that pertain to occupational licensing. “Telehealth” means a practice of health care delivery, diagnosis, consultation, treatment, or transfer of medically relevant data by means of audio, video, or data communications that are used either during a patient visit or a consultation or are used to transfer medically relevant data about a patient. The bill requires the Department of Safety and Professional Services and any attached examining board or affiliated credentialing board to define and use “telehealth” and related terms consistent with this bill in all promulgated rules.

Who's behind it

8 senators are its ⁠. 4 are Democrats and 4 are Republicans.

20 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 28 names

Authors (8)

Signed on in support (20)

What it would cost

State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.

Versions and amendments

Every text the Legislature printed for this bill, including proposed changes. Each opens on the Legislature's site.

How lawmakers voted

There were 4 votes on this bill.

Senate Committee on Insurance vote on an amendment

Passed, 5 to 0 · Oct 27, 2021

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Insurance, Licensing and Forestry, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate Committee on Insurance vote to recommend it

Passed, 5 to 0 · Oct 27, 2021

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Insurance, Licensing and Forestry, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote to pass it

Passed, 32 to 0 · Nov 8, 2021 · 1 didn't vote

See how each of the 33 senators voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Didn't vote (1)

Official motion: “PASSAGE”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote to pass it

Passed, 95 to 0 · Jan 20, 2022 · 4 didn't vote

See how each of the 99 representatives voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Yes (95)

Didn't vote (4)

Official motion: “CONCURRENCE”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Feb 7, 2022

    The new law was published.

  2. Feb 7, 2022

    The governor signed it. It became 2021 Wisconsin Act 121.

  3. Feb 1, 2022

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Jan 24, 2022

    1 more representative signed on in support.

  5. Jan 20, 2022

    The Assembly passed it too, 95 to 0.

  6. Jan 18, 2022

    1 more representative signed on in support.

  7. Dec 7, 2021

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  8. Nov 8, 2021

    The Assembly received it.

  9. Nov 8, 2021

    The Senate passed it, 32 to 0.

  10. Nov 8, 2021

    The Senate adopted it.

  11. Oct 27, 2021

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 5 to 0.

  12. Oct 27, 2021

    “Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Insurance, Licensing and Forestry, Ayes 5, Noes 0” (the official wording)

  13. Jun 22, 2021

    1 more representative signed on in support.

  14. May 26, 2021

    The committee held a public hearing.

  15. May 13, 2021

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  16. May 7, 2021

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  17. Apr 29, 2021

    1 more representative signed on in support.

  18. Apr 21, 2021

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Insurance, Licensing and Forestry.

  19. Apr 21, 2021

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Apr 21, 2021 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Kooyenga, Ballweg, Carpenter, Cowles, Erpenbach, Marklein, Ringhand and L. Taylor; cosponsored by Representatives Loudenbeck, Rozar, Magnafici, Armstrong, Bowen, Brooks, Dittrich, Kuglitsch, Kurtz, Mursau, Plumer, J. Rodriguez, Spreitzer, Stubbs, Subeck and Considine

  2. Apr 21, 2021 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Insurance, Licensing and Forestry

  3. Apr 29, 2021 · Senate

    Representative Wichgers added as a cosponsor

  4. May 7, 2021 · Senate

    Fiscal estimate received

  5. May 13, 2021 · Senate

    Fiscal estimate received

  6. May 26, 2021 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  7. Jun 22, 2021 · Senate

    Representative Born added as a cosponsor

  8. Oct 22, 2021 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senator Kooyenga

  9. Oct 27, 2021 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  10. Oct 27, 2021 · Senate

    Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Insurance, Licensing and Forestry, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  11. Oct 27, 2021 · Senate

    Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Insurance, Licensing and Forestry, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  12. Oct 27, 2021 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  13. Nov 5, 2021 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 11-8-2021 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  14. Nov 8, 2021 · Senate

    Read a second time

  15. Nov 8, 2021 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 1 adopted

  16. Nov 8, 2021 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  17. Nov 8, 2021 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  18. Nov 8, 2021 · Senate

    Read a third time and passed, Ayes 32, Noes 0

  19. Nov 8, 2021 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  20. Nov 8, 2021 · Assembly

    Received from Senate

  21. Dec 7, 2021 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to committee on Rules

  22. Jan 18, 2022 · Assembly

    Representative Cabrera added as a cosponsor

  23. Jan 18, 2022 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 1-20-2022 by Committee on Rules

  24. Jan 20, 2022 · Assembly

    Rules suspended to withdraw from calendar and take up

  25. Jan 20, 2022 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  26. Jan 20, 2022 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  27. Jan 20, 2022 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  28. Jan 20, 2022 · Assembly

    Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 95, Noes 0

  29. Jan 20, 2022 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  30. Jan 20, 2022 · Senate

    Received from Assembly concurred in

  31. Jan 24, 2022 · Senate

    Representative Drake added as a cosponsor

  32. Jan 28, 2022 · Senate

    Report correctly enrolled

  33. Feb 1, 2022 · Senate

    Presented to the Governor on 2-1-2022 by directive of the Majority Leader

  34. Feb 7, 2022 · Senate

    Report approved by the Governor on 2-4-2022. 2021 Wisconsin Act 121

  35. Feb 7, 2022 · Senate

    Published 2-5-2022

Terms on this page

Wisconsin Act

The number a bill gets when it becomes law, like 2025 Wisconsin Act 12.

Official term: Act. More in the glossary

Legislative Reference Bureau

The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.

Official term: LRB analysis. More in the glossary

Author

A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Official term: Author, coauthor. More in the glossary

Signed on in support

Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.

Official term: Cosponsor. More in the glossary

Cost estimate

A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.

Official term: Fiscal estimate. More in the glossary

Roll call

A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.

Official term: Roll call vote. More in the glossary

From the Wisconsin Legislature's official record, checked Sep 15, 2026. See the source

Wisconsin Act

The number a bill gets when it becomes law, like 2025 Wisconsin Act 12.

Official term: Act

More in the glossary

Legislative Reference Bureau

The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.

Official term: LRB analysis

More in the glossary

Author

A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Official term: Author, coauthor

More in the glossary

Signed on in support

Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.

Official term: Cosponsor

More in the glossary

Cost estimate

A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.

Official term: Fiscal estimate

More in the glossary

Roll call

A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.

Official term: Roll call vote

More in the glossary