The Assembly Health Committee held a public hearing on AB 500 on September 27, 2017. Testifying in support of the legislation was the Assembly Bill Sponsor Nancy VanderMeer, Sheryl Krause, Chairperson of the Board of Nursing, representatives from the Wisconsin Hospital Association and Gina Dennik-Champion, WNA Executive Director. All of the testimony submitted was in favor of the legislation. You can find WNA’s Testimony here.
The Senate Companion to AB 500 is SB 417. The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services will have a public hearing on SB 417 on Tuesday, October 17, 2017. WNA will provide testimony. For more information on the legislation go to https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2017/proposals/sb417
September 22, 2017
Please contact the members of the Assembly Health Committee to ask for their support of AB 500 & SB 417, eNLC legislation. This legislation will allow RNs to continue to have a multistate license. For more information go to WNA’s Nurse’s Voice page.
September 15, 2017
Thank you all for contacting your legislator asking them to sign-on as co-sponsor of the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC). Eighty-seven (87) legislators signed on as co-sponsors! WNA will notify you of when it is assigned a bill number, the committee assigned to hold a public hearing, and the date of the public hearing. We will need your voice again soon!
September 11, 2017
The legislative draft of the eNLC is being circulated to legislators asking for their co-sponsorship. Please contact your legislators asking them to sign-on to LRB 3932/1, The Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC). You should have received an email last week from WNA’s NursesVoice asking that you contact your legislator. For more information please go to the Nurse’s Voice page.
In addition, WNA has signed on to a coalition letter that has been sent to all of the legislators requesting their co-sponsorship. You can view the letter here.
For more information and background about the eNLC please view the update from August 3rd below.
Update from August 3, 2017
The Wisconsin Hospital Association has taken the lead on getting the eNLC legislation drafted and others–including WNA–will be asking legislators for support.
You may have received an email from the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS). DSPS is the state agency that issues your nursing license and where the Wisconsin Board of Nursing receives its support and services. That DSPS email contains information regarding the newer version of the Nurse Licensure Compact. This newer compact, eNLC, has proponents wanting the legislature to adopt the new version. You may recall that on May 23 and 25 WNA sponsored two “rapid response calls” for members to provide input on the eNLC. We used your responses in preparing the testimony that was presented to the Wisconsin Board of Nursing public hearing on June 9.
WNA will keep you informed of the progress of this initiative.
Additional Resources:
DSPS Informational Fact Sheet
WNA Testimony presented by Mary Beck Metzger and others
Other information on the eNLC found on the National Council of State Boards of Nursing
August 2, 2017 Letter to legislators from Sen. Marklein and Rep. Van VanderMeer
