Wisconsin 2025 Regular Session Status: Introduced 1 R cosponsors

SB 646 — Relating to: reports on the competency of involuntarily committed individuals to refuse medication or treatment based upon an examination by an advanced practice registered nurse.

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

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  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 November 14, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee referral and hearing.

Prognosis

Advancing 38% · 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.

  • 6 sponsors

    1 primary, 5 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (1 R).

  • 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 amend 51.61 (1) (g) 3. of the statutes;

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

66 added · 21 removed

Plain-language change summary

The amendment to SB 646 changes the qualifications for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) who can assess whether individuals involuntarily committed for treatment are competent to refuse medication or treatment. Originally, any APRN with expertise in psychiatric care could perform this examination, but the amendment specifies that only those who have completed 3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience and hold a master's degree in psychiatric mental health nursing from an accredited program are eligible. This change is important because it ensures that only highly qualified practitioners are making critical decisions about a person's mental health treatment rights, which could affect their wellbeing and the safety of others.

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Latest
- 2026 LEGISLATURE LRBa0821/1 KMS:klm SENATE AMENDMENT 1, TO SENATE BILL 646 January 15, 2026 - Offered by SenatABRAL-GUEVARA .
- 2026 LEGISLATURE LRB-4786/1 KMS:wlj SENATE BILL 646 November 14, 2025 - Introduced by Senator C ABRAL -GUEVARA , cosponsored by Representatives D ITTRICH, LLEN , BEHNKE , KNODL and M ELOTIK .
At the locations indicated, amend the bill as follows:
Referred to Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse Prevention, Children and Families.
1.
A N A CT to amend 51.61 (1) (g) 3.
Page 1, line 3:
of the statutes;
delete “an advanced” and substitute “a psychiatric advanced”.
relating to:
2.
reports on the competency of involuntarily committed individuals to refuse medication or treatment based upon an examination by an advanced practice registered nurse.
Page 2, line 17:
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau Under current law, certain individuals who have been involuntarily committed for treatment have the right to exercise informed consent and refuse medications and treatments unless a situation exists in which medication or treatment is necessary to prevent serious physical harm to the individual or others or unless a court determines that the individual is not competent to refuse medication or treatment.
delete the material beginning with “who through education or” and ending with “psychiatric care” on line 18 and substitute “who has completed 3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience and holds a master’s degree in psychiatric mental health nursing from a graduate school of nursing accredited by the National League for Nursing”.
A court makes this determination at a hearing if an interested person files a motion.
3.
Currently, the motion must be accompanied by a report that contains a signed statement by a physician that the individual needs medication or treatment and is not competent to refuse medication or treatment based on a physician’s examination.
Page 3, line 5:
Under the bill, an advanced practice registered nurse who has expertise in psychiatric care may also perform the examination to determine whether or not the individual is competent to refuse medication or treatment.
delete the material beginning with “who through education or” and ending with “care” on line 6 and substitute “who has completed 3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience and holds a master’s degree in psychiatric mental - 2026 Legislature - 2 - LRBa0821/1 KMS:klm health nursing from a graduate school of nursing accredited by the National League for Nursing”.
- 2026 Legislature - 2 - LRB-4786/1 KMS:wlj SENATE BILL 646 SECTION 1 The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
(END )
S ECTION 1.
51.61 (1) (g) 3.
of the statutes is amended to read:
51.61 (1) (g) 3.
Following a final commitment order, other than for a subject individual who is determined to meet the commitment standard under s.
51.20 (1) (a) 2.
e., have the right to exercise informed consent with regard to all medication and treatment unless the committing court or the court in the county in which the individual is located, within 10 days after the filing of the motion of any interested person and with notice of the motion to the individual’s counsel, if any, the individual and the applicable counsel under s.
51.20 (4), makes a determination, following a hearing, that the individual is not competent to refuse medication or treatment or unless a situation exists in which the medication or treatment is necessary to prevent serious physical harm to the individual or others.
A report, if any, on which the motion is based shall accompany the motion and notice of motion and shall include a statement signed by a licensed physician that asserts that the subject individual needs medication or treatment and that the individual is not competent to refuse medication or treatment, based on an examination of the individual by a licensed physician or by an advanced practice registered nurse who may issue prescription orders under s.
441.09 (2) and who through education or experience has expertise in psychiatric care.
The hearing under this subdivision shall meet the requirements of s.
51.20 (5), except for the right to a jury trial.
At the request of the subject individual, the individual’s counsel or applicable counsel under s.
51.20 (4), the hearing may be postponed, but in no case may the postponed hearing be held more than 20 days after a motion is filed.
- 2026 Legislature - 3 - LRB-4786/1 KMS:wlj SENATE BILL 646 SECTION 2 S ECTION 2.
Nonstatutory provisions.
(1) For the period beginning on the effective date of this subsection and ending on September 1, 2026, a report under s.
51.61 (1) (g) 3.
may be based on an examination of the individual by a licensed physician or an advanced practice registered nurse who through education or experience has expertise in psychiatric care.
For purposes of this subsection, “advanced practice registered nurse” has the meaning given in s.
154.01 (1g).
S ECTION 3.
Effective dates.
This act takes effect on the day after publication, except as follows:
(1) The treatment of s.
51.61 (1) (g) 3.
takes effect on September 1, 2026.
(END)
View plain text versions (2)

Action History

  1. Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

  2. Senator Roys added as a coauthor

  3. Available for scheduling

  4. Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse Prevention, Children and Families, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  5. Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse Prevention, Children and Families, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  6. Executive action taken

  7. Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senator Cabral-Guevara

  8. Public hearing held

  9. Senator Keyeski added as a coauthor

  10. Read first time and referred to Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse Prevention, Children and Families

  11. Introduced by Senator Cabral-Guevara; cosponsored by Representatives Dittrich, Allen, Behnke, Knodl and Melotik

Sponsors

  • Dittrich · Cosponsor
  • Allen · Cosponsor
  • Behnke · Cosponsor
  • Knodl · Cosponsor
  • Melotik · Cosponsor
  • Rachael Cabral-Guevara · Primary

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 5 co-sponsors · 126 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (5)

  • Dittrich
  • Allen
  • Behnke
  • Knodl
  • Melotik

Not signed on (126)

126 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 126 →

"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.

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Frequently asked questions

What does SB 646 do?
An Act to amend 51.61 (1) (g) 3. of the statutes;
Who sponsors SB 646?
SB 646 is sponsored by Dittrich, Allen, Behnke, Knodl, Melotik, and Cabral-Guevara, Rachael (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 646?
This bill has been introduced in the Senate. Introduced November 14, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track SB 646?
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