Gov. Tony Evers is urging lawmakers to approve a part of his budget request that aims to prevent longer wait times for professional licenses in Wisconsin, according to Wisconsin Public Radio.
Temporary positions at the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) are set to expire later in 2025. The department, which manages over 200 types of credentials needed for jobs ranging from plumbing to nursing, could lose nearly 30 contract employees who process license applications and address customer service questions.
Evers’ budget, submitted earlier this year, would replace those positions with 24 permanent, full-time employees who would staff a call center and handle applications. DSPS would be staffed overall by nearly 288 full-time-equivalent employees, and Evers is asking the Legislature to approve $164 million in funding for the department over two fiscal years.
Wisconsin’s Republican-controlled Legislature is currently crafting the state’s next two-year budget, which is scheduled to take effect July 1.
