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Wisconsin Assembly Bill AB23

Wisconsin 2025-2026 Regular Session

Wisconsin Assembly Bill AB23 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.
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11 2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
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44 2025 ASSEMBLY BILL 23
55 February 7, 2025 - Introduced by Representatives SNYDER, SPIROS, BARE, DITTRICH,
66 JOHNSON, KREIBICH, MAYADEV, MCCARVILLE, O'CONNOR, ROE, STROUD,
77 SUBECK and VINING, cosponsored by Senators JAMES, WANGGAARD,
88 CARPENTER, DASSLER-ALFHEIM, FEYEN, RATCLIFF, ROYS and SPREITZER.
99 Referred to Committee on Health, Aging and Long-Term Care.
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1111 ***AUTHORS SUBJECT TO CHANGE***
1212 AN ACT to create 15.197 (22m) and 146.695 of the statutes; relating to:
1313 establishment of a Palliative Care Council.
1414 Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
1515 This bill establishes within the Department of Health Services a Palliative
1616 Care Council, which includes as members a statewide group of medical and clinical
1717 professionals with expertise in the provision of palliative care services, as well as
1818 patients or family members of patients who have experience receiving palliative
1919 care services, to advise DHS about palliative care issues.
2020 The bill requires the council to consult with and advise DHS regarding 1)
2121 outcome evaluation of established palliative care programs; 2) the economic and
2222 quality of life effectiveness of palliative care that is provided along with curative
2323 treatment; 3) the mechanisms for and adequacy of reimbursement for palliative
2424 care services; and 4) any other issues relating to palliative care arising through
2525 meetings or discussions, as the council determines appropriate. The bill provides
2626 that the council may not consult with or advise DHS on physician-assisted suicide,
2727 euthanasia, medical aid in dying, or any other act that would condone, authorize,
2828 approve, or permit any affirmative or deliberate act to end life other than the
2929 withholding or withdrawing of health care under an advance directive or power of
3030 attorney for health care so as to permit the natural process of dying. Under the bill,
3131 DHS must, in consultation with the council, establish a statewide palliative care
3232 consumer and professional information and education program to ensure that
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3838 comprehensive and accurate information and education about palliative care are
3939 available to the public, health care providers, and health care facilities. The bill
4040 provides that DHS must make certain information and resources regarding
4141 palliative care available on its website. Under the bill, the council must submit
4242 reports to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature providing its
4343 analysis on the issues of access to palliative care and the impact of palliative care on
4444 health care delivery systems in this state and on families that have experience with
4545 palliative care services.
4646 For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as
4747 an appendix to this bill.
4848 The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
4949 enact as follows:
5050 SECTION 1. 15.197 (22m) of the statutes is created to read:
5151 15.197 (22m) PALLIATIVE CARE COUNCIL. (a) In this subsection, Xcommunity-
5252 based palliative care programY means a program in which palliative care is
5353 provided in a patient[s home or place of residence.
5454 (b) There is created in the department of health services a palliative care
5555 council. The council shall consist of not more than 22 members appointed, except as
5656 otherwise provided in this paragraph, by the secretary of health services to serve
5757 for 3-year terms, including all of the following:
5858 1. Five physician members, 3 of whom are palliative care physicians and 2 of
5959 whom are primary care physicians.
6060 2. Two advanced practice nurse prescribers certified under s. 441.16 (2) and
6161 certified in palliative care. One of the advanced practice nurse prescribers shall
6262 have provided direct patient care in a community-based palliative care program for
6363 at least 2 of the last 5 years. One of the advanced practice nurse prescribers shall
6464 have provided direct patient care in a hospital-based palliative care program for at
6565 least 2 of the last 5 years.
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8585 SECTION 1
8686 3. Two physician assistants who are licensed under subch. IX of ch. 448 and
8787 who are certified in palliative care or have provided palliative care for at least 2 of
8888 the last 5 years. One of the physician assistants shall have provided direct patient
8989 care in a community-based palliative care program for at least 2 of the last 5 years.
9090 One of the physician assistants shall have provided direct patient care in a hospital-
9191 based palliative care program for at least 2 of the last 5 years.
9292 4. Three health care professionals, including a nurse, a social worker, and a
9393 spiritual care professional.
9494 5. Two patients or family members of patients who have experience receiving
9595 palliative care services.
9696 6. Two nonclinical health care leaders with experience operating community-
9797 based palliative care programs.
9898 7. One representative from a health care insurance company who has
9999 experience making decisions about reimbursement for palliative care services.
100100 8. One representative from the department of health services who works on
101101 issues relating to aging and long-term care.
102102 9. One representative to the assembly appointed by the speaker of the
103103 assembly.
104104 10. One representative to the assembly appointed by the minority leader of
105105 the assembly.
106106 11. One senator appointed by the president of the senate.
107107 12. One senator appointed by the minority leader of the senate.
108108 (c) A member appointed under par. (b) 1. to 8. may not serve more than 2
109109 consecutive terms on the council.
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137137 SECTION 1
138138 (d) Any member of the council appointed under par. (b) 1. to 8. who meets the
139139 required qualifications for more than one category of appointees may be appointed
140140 to serve as a member fulfilling the requirements for a council member in some or all
141141 of those categories, as determined by the secretary of health services.
142142 (e) The council shall meet at least twice each year.
143143 (f) When possible, the council shall seek and the secretary of health services
144144 shall appoint members who represent the various geographic areas of the state and
145145 the council and the secretary of health services shall ensure statewide
146146 representation on the council. The council shall, as often as possible, hold its
147147 meetings in different geographic areas of the state, both rural and urban, to better
148148 learn about and aid in palliative care access and quality in all communities.
149149 SECTION 2. 146.695 of the statutes is created to read:
150150 146.695 Palliative care. (1) In this section, XcouncilY means the palliative
151151 care council.
152152 (2) (a) The council shall consult with and advise the department on all of the
153153 following:
154154 1. Outcome evaluation of established palliative care programs.
155155 2. The economic and quality of life effectiveness of palliative care that is
156156 provided along with curative treatment.
157157 3. The mechanisms for and adequacy of reimbursement for palliative care
158158 services.
159159 4. Any other issues relating to palliative care arising through meetings or
160160 discussions, as the council determines appropriate.
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187187 SECTION 2
188188 (b) The council may not consult with or advise the department on physician-
189189 assisted suicide, euthanasia, medical aid in dying, or any other act that would
190190 condone, authorize, approve, or permit any affirmative or deliberate act to end life
191191 other than the withholding or withdrawing of health care under an advance
192192 directive or power of attorney for health care so as to permit the natural process of
193193 dying.
194194 (3) The department shall, in consultation with the council and subject to the
195195 limitations in sub. (2) (b), establish a statewide palliative care consumer and
196196 professional information and education program to ensure that comprehensive and
197197 accurate information and education about palliative care are available to the public,
198198 health care providers, and health care facilities.
199199 (4) The department shall make available electronically on its website
200200 information and resources regarding palliative care, including all of the following
201201 items:
202202 (a) Links to external resources regarding palliative care.
203203 (b) Continuing education opportunities for health care providers.
204204 (c) Information about palliative care programs.
205205 (d) Consumer educational materials regarding palliative care.
206206 (5) One year after the first meeting of the council, then on the 3rd January 1
207207 after the first meeting of the council, and thereafter biennially no later than
208208 January 1, the council shall submit a report to the appropriate standing
209209 committees of the legislature under s. 13.172 (3) providing the council[s analysis on
210210 all of the following issues:
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237237 SECTION 2
238238 (a) Access to palliative care.
239239 (b) The impact of palliative care on health care delivery systems in this state
240240 and on families that have experience with palliative care services.
241241 (6) Nothing in this section may be construed to create a cause of action or
242242 create a standard of care, obligation, or duty that provides a basis for a cause of
243243 action.
244244 (END)
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