WI Update: Bill to Protect Consumer Access to Natural Health Practitioners Did Not Pass

We’re writing to let you know that SB 678/AB 864, the “Consumer Protection for Alternative Healthcare Act” bills, did not pass this session.  Despite our best efforts, the bills did not meet the deadline for advancing because they were not heard and passed out of committee by March 28th.  This was partly due to the fact that we lost the lead Senate sponsor for the bill, Sen. Frank Lasee of De Pere, who resigned late Dec. 2017 to take a job with Gov. Scott Walker’s administration.  We are hopeful the bill will move early at the start of the next session with a new lead Senate sponsor. 

Thank you to everyone who supported our legislative efforts! And a special THANK YOU to Sunshine Health Freedom Foundation, the WI Health Freedom Coalition (WIHFC), and the lobbyists at HuschBlackwell for their hard work to get this WI “Safe Harbor” health freedom bill introduced and for their commitment to continue to working to pass this bill in the future.

Please let your legislators know you appreciate their support of SB 678/AB 864 and you hope they will support the bill when it is introduced again next session!  Click here to send a thank you note to the sponsors and cosponsors of the bills.  We encourage you to personally reach out to these legislators, and especially those who represent you, during the summer so that you have an established relationship with them when you ask for their support again in the future.  If you don’t know who represents you, please click here to find out.

Similar bills to SB 678/AB 864 have already passed into law in ten other states.  Wisconsin’s bill will provide an exemption to state occupational licensure for those non-invasive complementary and alternative health care practitioners who (1) avoid a specific list of prohibited conduct, such as puncturing the skin or administering prescription drugs or telling people to go off their treatments recommended by their licensed health care professional, and (2) give out the disclosure information listed in the bill, such as contact information, education and training, and the nature of the services to be rendered.

Health-seekers deserve to have maximum options protected for them as they work to explore their wellness and health.  Please keep in touch for ways to support Wisconsin’s health freedom efforts in the future.  Thank you!