SB 71

This bill ratifies and enters Wisconsin into the Dietitian Licensure Compact, which provides for the ability of a dietitian to become eligible to practice in other compact states. Significant provisions of the compact include the following:

1. The creation of a Dietitian Licensure Compact Commission, which includes the primary administrators of the licensure authorities of each member state. The commission has various powers and duties granted in the compact, including establishing bylaws, promulgating rules for the compact, appointing officers and hiring employees, and establishing and electing an executive committee. The commission may levy on and collect an annual assessment from each member state or impose fees on licensees to whom it grants a compact privilege to cover the cost of the operations and activities of the commission and its staff.

2. The ability for a dietitian to obtain a “compact privilege,” which allows a dietitian to practice dietetics in another compact state (remote state) if the dietitian satisfies certain criteria. The compact specifies a number of requirements in order for a dietitian to exercise a compact privilege, including holding an unencumbered dietitian license in a home state and paying any fees and meeting any jurisprudence requirements that may be imposed by a remote state. A dietitian practicing in a remote state under a compact privilege must adhere to the laws and regulations of that state. A remote state may, in accordance with that state’s laws, take adverse action against a licensee’s compact privilege within that state. If a dietitian’s license is encumbered, the dietitian loses the compact privilege in all remote states until certain criteria are satisfied. If a dietitian’s compact privilege in any remote state is removed, the dietitian may lose the compact privilege in all other remote states until certain criteria are satisfied.

3. The ability of member states to issue subpoenas that are enforceable in other states.

4. The creation of a coordinated data system containing licensure and disciplinary action information on dietitians. The compact requires member states to report adverse actions against licensees and to monitor the data system to determine whether adverse actions have been taken against licensees. A member state must submit a uniform data set to the data system on all individuals to whom the compact is applicable as required by the rules of the commission.

5. Provisions regarding resolutions of disputes between member states and between member and nonmember states, including a process for termination of a state’s membership in the compact if the state defaults on its obligations under the compact.

The compact becomes effective in this state upon its enactment in seven states. The compact provides that it may be amended upon enactment of an amendment by all member states. A state may withdraw from the compact by repealing the statute authorizing the compact, but the compact provides that a withdrawal does not take effect until 180 days after the effective date of that repeal.