Rob Summerfield, Wisconsin State Representative for 68th District | www.facebook.com
Rob Summerfield, Wisconsin State Representative for 68th District | www.facebook.com
According to the Wisconsin State Legislature's official website, the bill was described as follows: "allowing advanced practice nurse prescribers to pronounce the date, time, and place of a patient’s death for purposes of the preparation of death records".
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, the bill amends state statutes to permit advanced practice nurse prescribers who are directly involved in the care of a patient to pronounce the date, time, and place of the patient's death for the preparation of death records. This expands the list of healthcare providers authorized to make such pronouncements, which currently includes physicians, naturopathic doctors, physician assistants, and hospice nurses. The effective inclusion of advanced practice nurse prescribers is intended to facilitate the completion of death records in accordance with accepted medical standards, potentially streamlining the process of documenting death in healthcare settings.
The bill was co-authored by Senator Rachael Cabral-Guevara (Republican-19th District), Representative Rick Gundrum (Republican-58th District), Representative Daniel Knodl (Republican-24th District), Representative Rob Kreibich (Republican-28th District), Representative Vincent Miresse (Democrat-71st District). It was co-sponsored by Senator Steve L. Nass (Republican-11th District), along seven other co-sponsors.
Rob Summerfield has authored one other bill since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.
Summerfield graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Stout in 2002 with a BS.
Summerfield, a Republican, was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2025 to represent the state's 68th Assembly district, replacing previous state representative Karen Hurd.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| AB44 | 02/17/2025 | Allowing advanced practice nurse prescribers to pronounce the date, time, and place of a patient’s death for purposes of the preparation of death records |
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