Wisconsin 2025 Regular Session Status: Introduced Bipartisan · 6 D · 3 R cosponsors

SB 39 — Relating to: establishment of a Palliative Care Council. (FE)

Last action — Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

  1. 1
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed Assembly
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been introduced in the Senate. Introduced February 12, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee referral and hearing.

Prognosis

Advancing 54% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

  • Introduced

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 23 sponsors

    1 primary, 22 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (6 D · 3 R) — cross-party backing.

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 2 recorded votes so far.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Summary

An Act to create 15.197 (22m) and 146.695 of the statutes;

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

150 added · 11 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent amendment to Senate Bill 39 modifies the composition of the proposed Palliative Care Council. It specifies that the council will include five physician members, with a requirement for two palliative care specialists, one pediatric palliative care physician, and two primary care physicians. This change is significant because it ensures that the council will have a diverse range of expertise and perspectives, enhancing its ability to address important palliative care issues effectively. The focus on both adult and pediatric care also reflects a commitment to comprehensive support for patients of all ages.

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- 2026 LEGISLATURE LRBa0030/1 SWB:cdc SENATE AMENDMENT 1, TO SENATE BILL 39 February 18, 2025 - Offered by SenaAMESJ.
- 2026 LEGISLATURE LRB-1834/1 SWB:emw&skw SENATE BILL 39 February 12, 2025 - Introduced by Senators J AMES , WANGGAARD , CARPENTER , DASSLER -ALFHEIM , FEYEN, RATCLIFF , ROYS and S PREITZER, cosponsored by Representatives S NYDER, S PIROS, B ARE, D ITTRICH, JOHNSON , KREIBICH, M AYADEV , MCC ARVILLE, O'CONNOR , ROE , TROUD , SUBECK , VINING, U DELL and STUBBS .
At the locations indicated, amend the bill as follows:
Referred to Committee on Health.
A N A CT to create 15.197 (22m) and 146.695 of the statutes;
relating to:
establishment of a Palliative Care Council.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau This bill establishes within the Department of Health Services a Palliative Care Council, which includes as members a statewide group of medical and clinical professionals with expertise in the provision of palliative care services, as well as patients or family members of patients who have experience receiving palliative care services, to advise DHS about palliative care issues.
The bill requires the council to consult with and advise DHS regarding 1) outcome evaluation of established palliative care programs;
2) the economic and quality of life effectiveness of palliative care that is provided along with curative treatment;
3) the mechanisms for and adequacy of reimbursement for palliative care services;
and 4) any other issues relating to palliative care arising through meetings or discussions, as the council determines appropriate.
The bill provides that the council may not consult with or advise DHS on physician-assisted suicide, euthanasia, medical aid in dying, or any other act that would condone, authorize, approve, or permit any affirmative or deliberate act to end life other than the withholding or withdrawing of health care under an advance directive or power of attorney for health care so as to permit the natural process of dying.
Under the bill, DHS must, in consultation with the council, establish a statewide palliative care consumer and professional information and education program to ensure that - 2026 Legislature - 2 - LRB-1834/1 SWB:emw&skw SENATE BILL 39 SECTION 1 comprehensive and accurate information and education about palliative care are available to the public, health care providers, and health care facilities.
The bill provides that DHS must make certain information and resources regarding palliative care available on its website.
Under the bill, the council must submit reports to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature providing its analysis on the issues of access to palliative care and the impact of palliative care on health care delivery systems in this state and on families that have experience with palliative care services.
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:
S ECTION 1.
15.197 (22m) of the statutes is created to read:
15.197 (22m) P ALLIATIVE CARE COUNCIL .
(a) In this subsection, “community- based palliative care program” means a program in which palliative care is provided in a patient’s home or place of residence.
(b) There is created in the department of health services a palliative care council.
The council shall consist of not more than 22 members appointed, except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, by the secretary of health services to serve for 3-year terms, including all of the following:
Page 2, line 9:
Five physician members, 3 of whom are palliative care physicians and 2 of whom are primary care physicians.
delete lines 9 to 10 and substitute:
2.
X1.
Two advanced practice nurse prescribers certified under s.
Five physician members, 2 of whom are palliative care physicians, one of whom is a pediatric palliative care physician, and 2 of whom are primary care physicians.Y.
441.16 (2) and certified in palliative care.
One of the advanced practice nurse prescribers shall have provided direct patient care in a community-based palliative care program for at least 2 of the last 5 years.
One of the advanced practice nurse prescribers shall have provided direct patient care in a hospital-based palliative care program for at least 2 of the last 5 years.
- 2026 Legislature - 3 - LRB-1834/1 SWB:emw&skw SENATE BILL 39 SECTION 1 3.
Two physician assistants who are licensed under subch.
IX of ch.
448 and who are certified in palliative care or have provided palliative care for at least 2 of the last 5 years.
One of the physician assistants shall have provided direct patient care in a community-based palliative care program for at least 2 of the last 5 years.
One of the physician assistants shall have provided direct patient care in a hospital- based palliative care program for at least 2 of the last 5 years.
4.
Three health care professionals, including a nurse, a social worker, and a spiritual care professional.
5.
Two patients or family members of patients who have experience receiving palliative care services.
6.
Two nonclinical health care leaders with experience operating community- based palliative care programs.
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7.
One representative from a health care insurance company who has experience making decisions about reimbursement for palliative care services.
8.
One representative from the department of health services who works on issues relating to aging and long-term care.
9.
One representative to the assembly appointed by the speaker of the assembly.
10.
One representative to the assembly appointed by the minority leader of the assembly.
11.
One senator appointed by the president of the senate.
12.
One senator appointed by the minority leader of the senate.
(c) A member appointed under par.
(b) 1.
to 8.
may not serve more than 2 consecutive terms on the council.
- 2026 Legislature - 4 - LRB-1834/1 SWB:emw&skw SENATE BILL 39 SECTION 1 (d) Any member of the council appointed under par.
(b) 1.
to 8.
who meets the required qualifications for more than one category of appointees may be appointed to serve as a member fulfilling the requirements for a council member in some or all of those categories, as determined by the secretary of health services.
(e) The council shall meet at least twice each year.
(f) When possible, the council shall seek and the secretary of health services shall appoint members who represent the various geographic areas of the state and the council and the secretary of health services shall ensure statewide representation on the council.
The council shall, as often as possible, hold its meetings in different geographic areas of the state, both rural and urban, to better learn about and aid in palliative care access and quality in all communities.
S ECTION 2.
146.695 of the statutes is created to read:
146.695 Palliative care.
(1) In this section, “council” means the palliative care council.
(2) (a) The council shall consult with and advise the department on all of the following:
1.
Outcome evaluation of established palliative care programs.
2.
The economic and quality of life effectiveness of palliative care that is provided along with curative treatment.
3.
The mechanisms for and adequacy of reimbursement for palliative care services.
4.
Any other issues relating to palliative care arising through meetings or discussions, as the council determines appropriate.
- 2026 Legislature - 5 - LRB-1834/1 SWB:emw&skw SENATE BILL 39 SECTION 2 (b) The council may not consult with or advise the department on physician- assisted suicide, euthanasia, medical aid in dying, or any other act that would condone, authorize, approve, or permit any affirmative or deliberate act to end life other than the withholding or withdrawing of health care under an advance directive or power of attorney for health care so as to permit the natural process of dying.
(3) The department shall, in consultation with the council and subject to the limitations in sub.
(2) (b), establish a statewide palliative care consumer and professional information and education program to ensure that comprehensive and accurate information and education about palliative care are available to the public, health care providers, and health care facilities.
(4) The department shall make available electronically on its website information and resources regarding palliative care, including all of the following items:
(a) Links to external resources regarding palliative care.
(b) Continuing education opportunities for health care providers.
(c) Information about palliative care programs.
(d) Consumer educational materials regarding palliative care.
(5) One year after the first meeting of the council, then on the 3rd January 1 after the first meeting of the council, and thereafter biennially no later than January 1, the council shall submit a report to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature under s.
13.172 (3) providing the council’s analysis on all of the following issues:
- 2026 Legislature - 6 - LRB-1834/1 SWB:emw&skw SENATE BILL 39 S ECTION 2 (a) Access to palliative care.
(b) The impact of palliative care on health care delivery systems in this state and on families that have experience with palliative care services.
(6) Nothing in this section may be construed to create a cause of action or create a standard of care, obligation, or duty that provides a basis for a cause of action.
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Action History

  1. Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

  2. Senate Amendment 2 offered by Senator Jacque

  3. Representative J. Jacobson added as a cosponsor

  4. Representative Joers added as a cosponsor

  5. Available for scheduling

  6. Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Health, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  7. Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Health, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  8. Executive action taken

  9. Representative Miresse added as a cosponsor

  10. Public hearing held

  11. Fiscal estimate received

  12. Representative Fitzgerald added as a cosponsor

  13. Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senator James

  14. Representative Sinicki added as a cosponsor

  15. Read first time and referred to Committee on Health

  16. Introduced by Senators James, Wanggaard, Carpenter, Dassler-Alfheim, Feyen, Ratcliff, Roys and Spreitzer; cosponsored by Representatives Snyder, Spiros, Bare, Dittrich, Johnson, Kreibich, Mayadev, McCarville, O'Connor, Roe, Stroud, Subeck, Vining, Udell and Stubbs

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 22 co-sponsors · 109 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (22)

Not signed on (109)

109 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Subjects

healthcare health-insurance
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Frequently asked questions

What does SB 39 do?
An Act to create 15.197 (22m) and 146.695 of the statutes;
Who sponsors SB 39?
SB 39 is sponsored by Snyder, Spiros, Bare, Dittrich, Kreibich, Mayadev, McCarville, O'Connor, Roe, Stroud, Subeck, Vining, Udell, Stubbs, James, Jesse (Republican), Wanggaard, Van (Republican), Carpenter, Tim (Democrat), Dassler-Alfheim, Kristin (Democrat), Feyen, Dan (Republican), Ratcliff, Melissa (Democrat), Roys, Kelda (Democrat), Spreitzer, Mark (Democrat), and Johnson, LaTonya (Democrat).
What is the current status of SB 39?
This bill has been introduced in the Senate. Introduced February 12, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track SB 39?
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