Additional workers may be hard to come by for Wisconsin providers in the near future after Republican lawmakers fell short of overriding a veto on a bill that would have made it easier to become a nurse aide.
The bill would have cut the number of training hours needed to become a certified nursing assistant from from 120 to 75 and could have helped alleviate an ongoing caregiver shortage afflicting the industry nationwide. Seventy-five hours in the minimum required by the federal government.
“What’s more important? Playing politics with your governor who made a bad choice, or standing with your constituents, the skilled nursing shortage that we know, that we’ve all talked about being there,” Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R) said during the vote.
Last May, lawmakers passed the bill with 63 total votes — the same amount needed to override Gov. Tony Evers’ veto of the bill.
However, the Democrats who previously voted for the bill did not opt to join to override the veto. Opponents of the legislation argued against reduced training requirements and called for more effective ways to address staffing issues.
Lawmakers, however, suggested that state providers could soon see solutions regarding workforce problems despite the vote.
“We’re not done today with this vote,” Rep. Steve Doyle (D) said. “This is not a silver bullet. If we say we’re done … that is the real tragedy here.”
A December wage report found that the average hourly wage CNAs are now willing to work for in the United States increased between 2019 and 2020. Experts speculated that providers will likely have to compete harder to attract more caregivers amid a workforce shortage.
