Wisconsin Bill to Update Audiology Scope of Practice Failed to Advance

Earlier this year, the Wisconsin legislature introduced Assembly Bill 820 (AB 820), which aimed to modernize the state’s audiology scope of practice. While the bill received consideration during the legislative session, it ultimately did not pass.

AB 820 proposed several important updates to the existing statute, including:

1. Adding explicit diagnosis, management, and treatment authority to the definition of audiology
2. Authorizing audiologists to perform cerumen removal and foreign body removal
3. Allowing audiologists to order cultures, bloodwork, imaging, genetic testing, and prescription medications as part of patient care
4. Establishing clear exclusions related to surgery and imaging interpretation, ensuring appropriate safeguards and professional boundaries

Update March 24th 

Later in the session, AB 820’s companion bill, Senate Bill 860 (SB 860), was introduced. This is a common legislative strategy that allows identical bills to be considered in both chambers simultaneously, thereby increasing their chances of passage. Despite this strategy, the Wisconsin legislature adjourned on March 11 before either bill advanced out of its respective chamber, and both measures failed to pass this session. The introduction of companion legislation, however, signals continued interest in modernizing audiology scope of practice in the state.