This new bill, authored by State Sen. Melissa Ratcliff, seeks to update the Board of Nursing’s membership to include specialized nursing roles and educational experts, according to the Wisconsin State Senate.
According to the Wisconsin State Legislature’s official website, the bill was described as follows: “membership on the Board of Nursing”.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill amends the membership structure of Wisconsin’s Board of Nursing to include three currently licensed registered nurses, one currently licensed practical nurse, one currently certified advanced practice nurse prescriber, one nurse educator, one member who may be either a licensed registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse, and two public members, all appointed to staggered four-year terms. The legislation replaces the positions of the two registered nurse members whose terms expire first after the bill takes effect with a currently certified advanced practice nurse prescriber and a nurse educator, reflecting a shift towards including more specialized nursing roles and educational expertise on the board.
The bill was co-authored by Representative Shae A. Sortwell (Republican-2nd District). It was co-sponsored by Representative Barbara Dittrich (Republican-99th District), Representative Joy L. Goeben (Republican-5th District), and Representative Rick Gundrum (Republican-58th District), along five other co-sponsors.
Melissa Ratcliff has co-authored or authored another 65 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with one of them being enacted.
Ratcliff graduated from Madison College in 2000.
Ratcliff, a Democrat, was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in 2025 to represent the state’s 16th Senate district, replacing previous state senator Melissa Agard.
In Wisconsin, the legislative process starts when a senator, constituent, group, or agency proposes an idea for a bill. After drafting, the bill is introduced, numbered, and referred to a committee for review and public input. If approved, it moves through three readings and votes in both the Senate and Assembly. Once both chambers pass the same version, the bill goes to the governor, who can sign it, veto it, or let it become law without a signature. Only a small share of bills introduced each session ultimately become law. You can learn more about the Wisconsin legislative process here.
| Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|
| SB282 | 05/29/2025 | Membership on the Board of Nursing |
| SB247 | 05/09/2025 | Local and private regulation of accessory dwelling units. (FE) |
| SB223 | 04/25/2025 | Discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, education, insurance coverage, national guard, jury duty, and adoption and in the receipt of mental health or vocational rehabilitation services |
| SB217 | 04/16/2025 | Eliminating the publication requirement for a name change petition seeking to conform an individual’s name with the individual’s gender identity |
| SB169 | 04/03/2025 | Privacy protections for judicial officers |
