By Lorayne Ritt Public members have served on licensure boards attached to the Department of Regulation and Licensing since 1975. In 1983, Wisconsin Act 403 increased the number of public members on licensure boards to two. Public board members are initially inexperienced in the profession being regulated and not connected to the regulated profession or licensed by the board on which they serve. Public members represent the consumer perspective. Contributing to board decisions with the consumer s interest in mind provides balance to a board to prevent bias toward the profession being regulated.
Consumer protection is the basis of regulation.
The public member must always be aware of the consumer advocacy role which is theirs. Technical expertise is provided by the professional members while public members provide consumer perspective. Together they balance consumer interest with safe, competent service. The public member tries to work toward mutual respect and good working relations with other board members. It is also incumbent on the public member to make other board members aware of the concerns of the people we represent.