Assembly Bill 251
A tier I license issued by the Department of Public Instruction and modifying administrative rules promulgated by the Department of Public Instruction
Became law
The governor signed it on Mar 25, 2024. It's .
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Introduced, passed
May 8, 2023
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Assembly vote, passed
Passed Nov 14, 2023
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Senate vote, passed
Passed Feb 13, 2024
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Governor, passed
Signed
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Law, here now
2023 Wisconsin Act 196
Latest entry in the official record, Mar 25, 2024: “Published 3-23-2024”
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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
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote. More in the glossary
What it does
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
Under current law, the state superintendent of public instruction must promulgate rules to license all teachers and individuals employed to provide publicly funded special education and related services in public schools. Additionally, under current law, school boards must ensure that teachers, supervisors, administrators and professional staff members hold a license or permit issued by the Department of Public Instruction. Similarly, under current law, charter school authorizers must ensure that all charter school instructional staff hold a license or permit issued by DPI.
Under current DPI administrative rules, an individual is eligible for a tier I license as a clinically trained social worker issued by DPI if the individual holds 1) a master's degree in social work and 2) a valid social work certificate or license issued by the social worker section of the marriage and family therapy, professional counseling, and social work examining board. This bill creates a similar tier I license issued by DPI for clinically trained marriage and family therapists. Under the bill, an individual is eligible for such a tier I license if the individual holds 1) a master's degree in marriage and family therapy and 2) a valid marriage and family therapy certificate, training license, or clinical license issued by the marriage and family therapy section of the marriage and family therapy, professional counseling, and social work examining board. A tier I license is valid for one year but may be renewed. Under the bill, a clinically trained marriage and family therapist license may be renewed as long as the individual continues to meet the eligibility requirements for the license.
Who's behind it
17 representatives are its . All 17 are Republicans.
8 more lawmakers .
See all 25 names Hide the names
Authors (17)
- Dave Armstrong · Republican, Assembly
- Elijah Behnke · Republican, Assembly
- Bob Donovan · Republican, Assembly
- Joy Goeben · Republican, Assembly
- Chanz Green · Republican, Assembly
- Rick Gundrum · Republican, Assembly
- Karen Hurd · Republican, Assembly
- Joel Kitchens · Republican, Assembly
- John Macco · Republican, Assembly
- Clint Moses · Republican, Assembly
- Jeff Mursau · Republican, Assembly
- Todd Novak · Republican, Assembly
- Jon Plumer · Republican, Assembly
- Nik Rettinger · Republican, Assembly
- Michael Schraa · Republican, Assembly
- David Steffen · Republican, Assembly
- Ron Tusler · Republican, Assembly
Signed on in support (8)
- Joan Ballweg · Republican, Senate
- Rachael Cabral-Guevara · Republican, Senate
- Rob Cowles · Republican, Senate
- Gustafson and O'Connor
- Jesse James · Republican, Senate
- Romaine Quinn · Republican, Senate
- Patrick Testin · Republican, Senate
- Cory Tomczyk · Republican, Senate
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.
Assembly Committee on Children and Families vote on an amendment
Passed, 11 to 1 · Nov 9, 2023
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Report Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Children and Families, Ayes 11, Noes 1”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Assembly Committee on Children and Families vote to recommend it
Passed, 11 to 1 · Nov 9, 2023
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 Children and Families, Ayes 11, Noes 1”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Senate Committee on Mental Health vote to recommend it
Passed, 5 to 0 · Dec 14, 2023
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse Prevention, Children and Families, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Senate vote
Passed, 3 to 2 · Feb 9, 2024
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
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Mar 25, 2024
The new law was published.
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Mar 25, 2024
The governor signed it. It became 2023 Wisconsin Act 196.
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Mar 18, 2024
Sent to the governor.
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Feb 13, 2024
The Senate passed it too.
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Feb 9, 2024
“Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2” (the official wording)
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Dec 14, 2023
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 5 to 0.
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Nov 21, 2023
Sent to the Senate Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse Prevention, Children and Families.
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Nov 15, 2023
The Senate received it.
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Nov 14, 2023
The Assembly passed it.
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Nov 14, 2023
The Assembly adopted it.
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Nov 13, 2023
2 more representatives signed on in support.
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Nov 9, 2023
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Nov 9, 2023
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 11 to 1.
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Nov 1, 2023
The committee held a public hearing.
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May 8, 2023
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Children and Families.
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May 8, 2023
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- May 8, 2023 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Steffen, Armstrong, Behnke, Donovan, Goeben, Green, Gundrum, Hurd, Kitchens, Macco, Moses, Mursau, Novak, Plumer, Rettinger, Schraa and Tusler; cosponsored by Senators James, Ballweg, Cabral-Guevara, Cowles, Quinn, Testin and Tomczyk
- May 8, 2023 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to Committee on Children and Families
- Jun 9, 2023 · Assembly
Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Steffen
- Nov 1, 2023 · Assembly
Public hearing held
- Nov 8, 2023 · Assembly
Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Representative Steffen
- Nov 9, 2023 · Assembly
Executive action taken
- Nov 9, 2023 · Assembly
Report Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Children and Families, Ayes 11, Noes 1
- Nov 9, 2023 · Assembly
Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Children and Families, Ayes 11, Noes 1
- Nov 9, 2023 · Assembly
Referred to committee on Rules
- Nov 9, 2023 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 11-14-2023 by Committee on Rules
- Nov 13, 2023 · Assembly
- Nov 14, 2023 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Nov 14, 2023 · Assembly
Assembly Amendment 1 to Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Representative Wichgers
- Nov 14, 2023 · Assembly
Assembly Amendment 1 to Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 withdrawn and returned to author
- Nov 14, 2023 · Assembly
Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adopted
- Nov 14, 2023 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Nov 14, 2023 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Nov 14, 2023 · Assembly
Read a third time and passed
- Nov 14, 2023 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Nov 15, 2023 · Senate
Received from Assembly
- Nov 21, 2023 · Senate
Read first time and referred to committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse Prevention, Children and Families
- Dec 13, 2023 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Dec 14, 2023 · Senate
Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse Prevention, Children and Families, Ayes 5, Noes 0
- Dec 14, 2023 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Feb 9, 2024 · Senate
Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2
- Feb 9, 2024 · Senate
Placed on calendar 2-13-2024 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Feb 13, 2024 · Senate
Read a second time
- Feb 13, 2024 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Feb 13, 2024 · Senate
Rules suspended to give bill its third reading
- Feb 13, 2024 · Senate
Read a third time and concurred in
- Feb 13, 2024 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Feb 13, 2024 · Assembly
Received from Senate concurred in
- Feb 16, 2024 · Assembly
Report correctly enrolled on 2-16-2024
- Mar 18, 2024 · Assembly
Presented to the Governor on 3-18-2024
- Mar 25, 2024 · Assembly
Report approved by the Governor on 3-22-2024. 2023 Wisconsin Act 196
- Mar 25, 2024 · Assembly
Published 3-23-2024
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
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
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
Signed on in support
Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.
Official term: Cosponsor
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote