Read the full stored bill text
Wisconsin Legislature: SB860: Bill Text
Skip navigation
Home
Documents
Senate
Assembly
Committees
Service Agencies
Docs
Options
Help
2025 Biennium
Statutes
Admin. Rules
Indices
Miscellaneous
Archives
Home
Bill, Rule, and Appointment Histories
Senators
Representatives
Committees
Text of Introduced Proposals
Amendment Text
Acts
Veto Messages
Enrolled Bills
Votes
Assembly and Senate Floor Calendars
Schedule of Committee Activities
Assembly and Senate Journals
Committee Records (ROCPs)
Legislative Rules
All Session-Related Documents
Subject Index to Acts
Subject Index to Legislation
Subject Index to Journals
Author Index to Legislation
Subject Index to Clearinghouse Rules
Miscellaneous Budget Documents
Executive Orders
Rulings of the Chair
Wisconsin Supreme Court Rules
Opinions of the Attorney General
Town Law Forms
Law
Districts
Session
Drafting Files
Feeds
Preferences
Show tree
Hide tree
Feedback
Help
Home
Senate Home
Senators
Committees
Session
Chief Clerk
Sergeant at Arms
Civics Education
Human Resources
Assembly Home
Representatives
Committees
Session
Chief Clerk
Sergeant at Arms
Human Resources
Schedule
Joint
Senate
Assembly
Study
Legislative Audit Bureau
Legislative Council
Legislative Fiscal Bureau
Legislative Human Resources Office
Legislative Reference Bureau
Legislative Technology Services Bureau
Menu
»
2025
»
Related Documents
»
Proposal Text
»
SB860: Bill Text
Up
Up
2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-5700/1
JPC&MED:cdc&skw
2025 SENATE BILL 860
January 23, 2026 - Introduced by Senators
Cabral-Guevara
and
Ratcliff
, cosponsored by Representatives
Duchow
,
Subeck
,
Billings
,
DeSmidt
,
Dittrich
,
Donovan
,
Doyle
,
Goeben
,
Goodwin
,
Kirsch
,
Knodl
,
O'Connor
,
Palmeri
,
Sinicki
,
Stubbs
and
Udell
. Referred to Committee on Health.
SB860,1,7
1
An Act
to repeal
459.24 (3) (em), 459.26 (2) (b), 459.26 (2) (c) and 459.26 (3);
to
2
renumber and amend
459.20 (2);
to amend
15.405 (6m) (a), 15.405 (6m) (e),
3
459.24 (6) (b) 1. and (c) and 459.28 (1) (b) 1.;
to create
459.20 (3o) (a) 2. a., b.
4
and c. and 459.20 (3o) (b) and (c) of the statutes;
relating to:
the practice of
5
audiology, licensure of audiologists, the composition of the Hearing and
6
Speech Examining Board, and repealing an administrative rule related to the
7
practical examination of audiologists.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, no person may engage in the practice of audiology unless the person holds a current audiologist license granted by the Hearing and Speech Examining Board. “Audiology” is defined under current law to mean applying principles, methods or procedures of prevention, identification, evaluation, consultation, intervention, instruction or research related to hearing, vestibular function, or any abnormal condition related to tinnitus, auditory sensitivity, acuity, function or processing, speech, language or other aberrant behavior resulting from hearing loss. “Audiology” also includes engaging in the practice of ordering, fitting, and dealing in hearing aids.
To be granted an audiologist license, under current law, an individual must satisfy certain criteria including 1) submitting evidence that he or she has completed a supervised clinical practicum, 2) submitting evidence that he or she has passed examinations selected or approved by the board or has completed education or training that the board determines is substantially equivalent, 3) passing an examination administered by the board that consists of practical tests of proficiency in certain techniques that pertain to the fitting of hearing aids, and 4) submitting evidence that he or she has completed a postgraduate clinical fellowship in audiology approved by the board or has completed education or training that the board determines is substantially equivalent. Currently, the board consists of 10 members appointed for four-year terms: three licensed hearing instrument specialists, one otolaryngologist, two licensed audiologists, two speech-language pathologists, and two public members, one of which must be a hearing aid user.
This bill makes several changes to the definition of the practice of audiology, the requirements for licensure as an audiologist, and the composition of the board. First, the bill amends the definition of audiology to provide that the practice of audiology also includes the diagnosis, management, and treatment of auditory or vestibular conditions. The bill further provides that the practice of audiology includes engaging in prescribing, ordering, selling, dispensing, and externally fitting hearing aids, sound processors, and cochlear implants. The bill excludes from the practice of audiology certain practices including surgery that uses an instrument, including a laser, scalpel, needle, cautery, cryoprobe, or suture in which human tissue is cut, burned, vaporized, removed, or otherwise permanently altered by mechanical means, laser, ionization, radiation, ultrasound, or other means. Second, the bill eliminates the requirement that an individual applying for a license as an audiologist complete an examination that consists of practical tests of proficiency in techniques that pertain to the fitting of hearing aids but maintains all other requirements for licensure under current law. Third, the bill repeals a provision permitting rules promulgated by the board to designate that a temporary license to practice audiology terminates if an applicant fails to take an examination required for initial licensure under current law. Finally, the bill reduces the membership on the board from 10 members to nine members by reducing the number of positions provided for licensed hearing instrument specialists from three to two. The bill also provides that of the two public members on the board, one of which must be either a hearing aid user, an osseo-integrated device user, or a cochlear implant user.
For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
SB860,1
1
Section
1
.
15.405 (6m) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB860,3,2
1
15.405
(6m)
(a)
Three
Two
hearing instrument specialists licensed under
2
subch. I of ch. 459.
SB860,2
3
Section
2
.
15.405 (6m) (e) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB860,3,5
4
15.405
(6m)
(e) Two public members. One of the public members shall be a
5
hearing aid user
, an osseo-integrated device user, or a cochlear implant user
.
SB860,3
6
Section
3
.
459.20 (2) of the statutes is renumbered 459.20 (3o) (a) and
7
amended to read:
SB860,3,8
8
459.20
(3o)
(a)
“Audiology”
“Practice of audiology”
means all of the following:
SB860,3,14
9
1. Applying principles, methods
,
or procedures of prevention,
identification,
10
evaluation,
diagnosis, management, and treatment of auditory or vestibular
11
conditions, including
consultation, intervention, instruction or research related to
12
hearing, vestibular function, or any abnormal condition related to tinnitus,
13
auditory sensitivity, acuity, function or processing, speech, language or other
14
aberrant behavior resulting from hearing loss
of the human auditory system
.
SB860,3,16
15
2. Engaging in the practice of
prescribing,
ordering,
selling, dispensing, or
16
externally
fitting
, and dealing in hearing aids.
any of the following:
SB860,4
17
Section
4
.
459.20 (3o) (a) 2. a., b. and c. of the statutes are created to read:
SB860,3,19
18
459.20
(3o)
(a) 2. a. Prescription hearing aids or over-the-counter hearing
19
aids.
SB860,3,21
20
b. Nonsurgical external units that attach to osseo-integrated devices for the
21
correction or relief of a condition for which osseo-integrated devices are worn.
SB860,3,23
22
c. Cochlear implants for the correction or relief of a condition for which
23
cochlear implants are worn.
SB860,5
24
Section
5
.
459.20 (3o) (b) and (c) of the statutes are created to read:
SB860,4,1
1
459.20
(3o)
(b) “Practice of audiology” includes all of the following:
SB860,4,2
2
1. Conducting health screenings.
SB860,4,4
3
2. Removal of cerumen from the external auditory canal that is not impacted
4
to the point that removal requires anesthesia.
SB860,4,6
5
3. Removal of a foreign body from the external auditory canal that is not
6
impacted to the point that removal requires anesthesia.
SB860,4,8
7
4. Ordering of cultures and blood work testing as it relates to the auditory or
8
vestibular conditions in the human ear.
SB860,4,11
9
5. Ordering and performing of in-office, nonradiographic scanning or imaging
10
of the external auditory canal and the ordering of radiographic imaging for
11
auditory or vestibular conditions in the human ear.
SB860,4,12
12
6. Ordering of genetic testing for auditory or vestibular conditions.
SB860,4,14
13
7. Ordering of prescription medication for the treatment of conditions of the
14
external ear or the external auditory canal.
SB860,4,15
15
(c) “Practice of audiology” does not include any of the following:
SB860,4,19
16
1. Surgery using an instrument, including a laser, scalpel, needle, cautery,
17
cryoprobe, or suture in which human tissue is cut, burned, vaporized, removed, or
18
otherwise permanently altered by mechanical means, laser, ionization, radiation,
19
ultrasound, or other means.
SB860,4,20
20
2. Osseo-integrated device surgery.
SB860,4,21
21
3. Cochlear implant surgery.
SB860,4,23
22
4. Preparation, operation, performance, or interpretation of radiographic
23
imaging.
SB860,6
24
Section
6
.
459.24 (3) (em) of the statutes is repealed.
SB860,7
1
Section
7
.
459.24 (6) (b) 1. and (c) of the statutes are amended to read:
SB860,5,8
2
459.24
(6)
(b) 1. Upon application, the examining board may grant a
3
temporary license to practice audiology during the completion of the postgraduate
4
fellowship required under sub. (3) (f) if the applicant practices under the
5
supervision of an audiologist licensed under sub. (3)
,
and
satisfies the requirements
6
under sub. (3) (a) to (d)
, and has submitted an application to take the next available
7
examinations for licensure as an audiologist under s. 459.26 (2) (b)
. No license may
8
be issued under this paragraph after December 31, 2009.
SB860,5,19
9
(c) A temporary license granted under this subsection is valid for a period
10
designated in rules promulgated by the examining board.
The rules may designate
11
a period that terminates if an applicant fails to take the next available examination
12
under s. 459.26 (2) (a) or (b) for reasons other than inaction by the examining board
13
or hardship.
A temporary license granted under par. (a) may be renewed once by
14
the examining board.
A temporary license granted under par. (b) may be renewed
15
once by the examining board if the applicant fails an examination for audiologist
16
licensure under s. 459.26 (2) (b) and applies to take the next available examination
17
or if the applicant shows, to the satisfaction of the examining board, sufficient cause
18
for the renewal.
An applicant for a temporary license shall pay the fee specified in
19
s. 440.05 (6).
SB860,8
20
Section
8
.
459.26 (2) (b) of the statutes is repealed.
SB860,9
21
Section
9
.
459.26 (2) (c) of the statutes is repealed.
SB860,10
22
Section
10
.
459.26 (3) of the statutes is repealed.
SB860,11
23
Section
11
.
459.28 (1) (b) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB860,6,2
24
459.28
(1)
(b) 1. The requirements for licensure in the other state or territory
1
are substantially equivalent to the requirements under s. 459.24 (3) (c)
,
and
(e)
, and
2
(em)
.
SB860,12
3
Section
12
.
HAS 6.04 (8) of the administrative code is repealed.
SB860,13
4
Section
13
. Initial applicability.
SB860,6,7
5
(
1
)
The treatment of s. 15.405 (6m) (a) first applies on the date on which the
6
term of any of the members appointed to the hearing and speech examining board
7
under s. 15.405 (6m) (a) expires.
SB860,14
8
Section
14
. Effective date.
SB860,6,10
9
(
1
)
This act takes effect on the first day of the 7th month beginning after
10
publication.
SB860,6,11
11
(end)
Down
Down
/2025/related/proposals/sb860
true
proposaltext
/2025/related/proposals/sb860
proposaltext/2025/REG/SB860
proposaltext/2025/REG/SB860
section
true
Menu
»
2025
»
Related Documents
»
Proposal Text
»
SB860: Bill Text
×
Details for
PDF view
Link
(Permanent link)
Bookmark this location
View toggle
Go to top of document
Search in this chapter
Search in this section
Search in this agency
Search in this chapter group
Search in this chapter
Search in this section
Cross references for section
Acts affecting this section
References to this
1970 Statutes Annotations
Appellate Court Citations
Administrative Code Index
Reference lines
Clear highlighting