MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Republican lawmakers have ordered an audit of a Wisconsin agency that has taken weeks to issue professional licenses, causing lengthy delays for thousands of workers across the state. The Department of Safety and Professional Services oversees licensing for hundreds of occupations including doctors, nurses, construction and trade workers, accountants and tattoo artists. It reported an average wait time of 45 days for professional licenses last August, down from nearly 80 days in 2021. The Republican-controlled Legislature’s Joint Audit Committee asked state auditors on Tuesday look into the delays, which the department has attributed to inadequate staffing.
