[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6321480,"mediaKeyId","2350327-5c5272172fa684d89c5707f441cfcf60","parentId",2350327,"title","Votes at a glance: committee actions on multiple health and workforce bills","audioSeconds",7913,"startMs",42000,"endMs",7955000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2350327-5c5272172fa684d89c5707f441cfcf60&start=42&end=7955","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2350327-5c5272172fa684d89c5707f441cfcf60/thumbnail_42000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6321480/Arkansas/Votes-at-a-glance-committee-actions-on-multiple-health-and-workforce-bills","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6321480-4d82cb5336d0ca0b8b0e9b38e5730387/orig.mp4?Expires=1775746760&Signature=L-uepzyvAkBqIX5DjXz8ypeQjPU7bH5Mw4a05FHP6-a5hliizhMCVIvTvH5ma1slygAAVW-Q09Y1sajnkCrFoRGttvW4udocG-~cvt5G7XTXbIilyaUu76BRHMWl49b9mdAntXmD3gCKr0AUlNLtyVmC-guu7He7EOTZjDoulxbTwHc7axKJfvJToWMv-jgxCHtue0B1hjpfLCsMgyRMuenxLvQN7mANAFoXU88ts-uK7qW6Sj5tq8ItbE4RkV95qG7WbZSbwzxTzCPU3WaAvzCBua~8lwRnc8xmvdU3~4xqNgh-CT79Xl8hW7usWBZKNwEfPMKRPYpr072oGSazgw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Arkansas Legislature","date","2025-02-18T00:00:00Z","article","This summary lists distinct bills that the House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee voted on in the provided transcript excerpt. For contested items, see standalone articles in this package.

- Senate Bill 134 — Approved by committee. Description: Changes a commission’s meeting frequency from 12 times per year at $500 per meeting to four times per year at $100 per meeting (transcript excerpt: motion carried, \"Ayes have it\").

- Senate Bill 50 — Approved by committee. Description: Establishes an ALC subcommittee to study benefit cliffs and recommend fixes ahead of the 2027 session.

- House Bill 1447 — Approved by committee. Description: Technical correction related to on-site wastewater licensing and clarifies plumbing/septic installer licensing.

- House Bill 1478 — Approved by committee. Description: Eliminates obsolete State Board of Disease Intervention Specialist duties transferred to Department of Health (bill from Department of Health; no opposition recorded).

- Senate Bill 137 — Approved by committee. Description: Allows health-care providers to store medical records in digital format provided records are reproducible and legible.

- Senate Bill 180 — Approved by committee. Description: Exempts existing and future PACE organizations from additional home-health licensure requirements so they can deliver services in home settings.

- House Bill 1166 — Approved by committee. Description: Clarifies epinephrine (including nasal formulations) may be used in schools for anaphylaxis under prescription protocols.

- House Bill 1167 — Approved by committee. Description: Clarifies nurse practitioners may authorize diabetic orthotic footwear; aligns practice with recent interpretation.

- House Bill 1213 — Approved by committee (see separate article). Description: Modernizes athletic trainer scope and adds physical therapists to approved concussion providers.

- House Bill 1132 — Failed in committee. Description: Would have expanded APRNs’ authority to prescribe Schedule II controlled substances and shifted certain rule-making responsibilities (extensive testimony; committee voted the bill down).

- House Bill 1256 — Approved by committee. Description: Creates a provisional license pathway similar to social-work provisional licensing for counselor and marriage-and-family counselor graduates to practice while they sit for exams.

- House Bill 1257 — Approved by committee. Description: Broadens the neuropsychological technician pathway into a registered psych-tech classification to extend testing capacity under psychologist supervision.

- Community Health Worker certification measure (bill number in transcript not specified) — Approved by committee. Description: Establishes an optional certification pathway recognized by the Department of Health and preserves voluntary association certification.

Notes: This summary lists committee outcomes recorded in the transcript excerpt. Where the transcript omitted a roll-call tally, the item is reported with the committee outcome language used in the record (for example, \"Ayes have it\" or \"bill failed\"). For bills that were debated in detail, see the longer articles in this package for speaker lists, testimony highlights and next steps.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Public Health, Welfare, and Labor Committee Meeting Feb 18, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The committee recorded votes on several bills during the session. This roundup lists each bill the committee voted on in the transcript excerpt, with the committee outcome and a one-line description.","taxTitle","PUBLIC HEALTH, WELFARE AND LABOR COMMITTEE- HOUSE, House of Representatives, Committees, Legislative, Arkansas","taxId",21192,"location","Arkansas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6321485,"Committee updates scope for athletic trainers and physical therapists; chiropractors raise concerns",2754,4331000,7085000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2350327-5c5272172fa684d89c5707f441cfcf60&start=4331&end=7085","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2350327-5c5272172fa684d89c5707f441cfcf60/thumbnail_4331000.jpg","/articles/6321485/Arkansas/Committee-updates-scope-for-athletic-trainers-and-physical-therapists-chiropractors-raise-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6321485-891d9d0206300522837132da6249ae03/orig.mp4?Expires=1775746760&Signature=b4gIrU1ZDz4TosZ2ZDlHQIBhTk6nWz3aOGvBmsDTN3R1TzavdRx1d7ecMGZwrKjplBn2peIX9CQor4CivSfZlA~vz-dGnZkXxQeVHdo12HjI6bGpPREFWZB6IrSoItUbWkvl42vzJ6-c7kcQUciUfwbTGBXGwfkgT6lEC9U0TkzAMEIyZgJ1fRvY9NqMQpsL1pJ2GZuht91raJ~Qgf-uFJMTY~8rLmTlp2vi06v7w~1c3SjoVuy3q5-aKBZK0zy5bHdWZE0-hmCmIXD-bI-hDNcoE8SkBoaL7spEEaEGR1UVk5gAYYQiIn03Gjc7Co6q~5pPXtS~qzL5Z~nWu6gSgw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee voted to pass House Bill 12 13, a measure that updates statutory definitions and practice rules for athletic trainers and adds physical therapists to a list of providers authorized for student concussion education and return‑to‑play decisions.

Representative Acre presented the bill and said it clarifies who qualifies as an \"athlete\" and brings Arkansas law more in line with other states by allowing treatment of athletic injuries regardless of the formal venue. \"A sprained ankle is a sprained ankle,\" the sponsor said, arguing that athletic trainers have the training to assess and treat injuries that occur during training, police and fire exercises, or informal athletic events.

The bill removes a requirement that a physician be physically on-site for certain athletic-trainer services and instead allows work under the direction or consultation of a physician, aligning practice with field conditions.

Opposition testimony came from chiropractic physicians who said they had not been included in the statutory list of approved concussion evaluators. Michael Courtney, a chiropractor and chairman of the Arkansas Chiropractic Society, said chiropractors regularly evaluate and manage concussion patients and asked that the statutory list be broadened. He also recommended restoring the original language referring to physician direction in one section of the bill.

Chris Cathy, a longtime chiropractor and member of a university sports-medicine team, said university programs already integrate chiropractors in concussion diagnosis and urged inclusion.

Sponsor Acre and Representative Gramlich said they were willing to work with providers not included in the current draft and suggested an interim study or future amendment to address the issue.

After discussion the committee adopted the amendment as offered and passed the bill. The measure's changes were presented as updates to modernize practice and reduce uncertainty about when athletic trainers and physical therapists may provide concussion-related services.","Lawmakers passed House Bill 12 13 to modernize definitions and the practice environment for athletic trainers and add physical therapists to an approved list of concussion service providers; some chiropractic representatives said the bill excluded providers who also treat concussions.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6321490,"House committee considers expanding APRN authority to prescribe Schedule II drugs; measure fails after hours of debate",3823,2332000,6155000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2350327-5c5272172fa684d89c5707f441cfcf60&start=2332&end=6155","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2350327-5c5272172fa684d89c5707f441cfcf60/thumbnail_2332000.jpg","/articles/6321490/Arkansas/House-committee-considers-expanding-APRN-authority-to-prescribe-Schedule-II-drugs-measure-fails-after-hours-of-debate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6321490-914626166816607489864a951b638cd8/orig.mp4?Expires=1775746760&Signature=geacI0lgByFIaQxr6qtn63lPsThoB7URo~cNb7g6OhhnAMqoto75if~6b3Gx9gCI7FqABUn~yBc0sA2SiX~1P2Z0TPXEr6Ew9QRpIGCNC8~ShsxNKpNFFf5xwxM1KSjLSroTNY3xbFsO8t6NbZgb8h1J-7W1kH8V2JQ9UMCd5qTou8LX~oXf9Ub7-mAbn~TN3AKG-AT~s~VUNdRnm6QbzEj2cevJP4aKsQmbjvM61q3UOoCCj2liD~nbZFTyCsR~M22q4DZupHjn6mp1Gyzz8KKR28XzURa4deKN-nRrcDm~so1MGJGs-8ZDAO0Uq~jYIe-OYHAadUX0LnPl9oXdSg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee on an undisclosed date heard extended testimony and debate on House Bill 11 32, a bill to expand some APRNs’ prescriptive authority to allow prescribing of Schedule II controlled substances, including stimulants, under rules to be written by the Arkansas State Board of Nursing.

Representative Pilkington, the bill sponsor, said the measure would \"increase access to healthcare services provided by advanced practice registered nurses\" and allow APRNs to prescribe across schedules \"including Schedule 2 stimulants, under specific regulations,\" particularly to serve rural and underserved areas.

Proponents told the committee it would reduce delays and costs for families. Leonie DeClerk of the Arkansas Nurse Practitioner Association testified that APRNs in Arkansas have prescribed controlled substances under varying authority since the 1990s and that stricter oversight and training enacted in recent years (including the state prescription drug monitoring program and new training requirements) mitigate risks. \"Initiation of treatment is delayed due to the need for another appointment,\" DeClerk said, arguing that delays hurt patient care and raised costs for families who must travel or miss work.

Psychiatric nurse practitioner Sarah Jones and other APRNs said the restriction requires extra visits for patients with ADHD and can be a barrier to treatment. \"When it comes to Schedule 2 medications... Arkansas is one of four states that actually limit nurse practitioners prescribing Schedule twos,\" Jones said, arguing the state's limits reduce access and that APRNs are trained in assessment and follow-up care.

Opponents included the Arkansas Medical Society. David Roten, the society's executive vice president, opposed the bill and called the proposed expansion \"an opportunity to increase access to drugs, not providers.\" Roten and other doctors warned about addiction and diversion risks for opioids and stimulants and argued current guardrails were appropriate. \"These are highly addictive drugs and that is why they're Schedule IIs,\" Roten said.

Committee members questioned specifics of oversight, scope and whether the bill would give broad authority to all APRNs regardless of specialty. Representative Johnson noted concern that the nursing board, whose membership includes non-prescribing RNs and LPNs, would write stimulant rules; he said the board may lack the prescriptive expertise to set adequate standards.

Sponsor Pilkington said the bill includes a review step: \"before approval of Arkansas State Board of Nursing rules, Arkansas State Medical Board shall review the proposed rules and verify the proposed rules are consistent\" with medical board rules.

After extended testimony from APRNs, physicians and others, the committee voted on a motion to pass the bill. The final tally was not read aloud in the transcript excerpt, but the chair announced, \"All those in favor, say aye... All those opposed? No. We'll rule the bill is failed.\"","Lawmakers debated a bill to let advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) prescribe Schedule II controlled substances and to revise collaborative-practice rules. Supporters said the change would expand access in rural areas; medical groups warned it could increase opioid and stimulant risks. The committee voted the bill down.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6321495,"House committee approves two-year study of \"benefit cliffs\" that can discourage work",1525,115000,1640000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2350327-5c5272172fa684d89c5707f441cfcf60&start=115&end=1640","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2350327-5c5272172fa684d89c5707f441cfcf60/thumbnail_115000.jpg","/articles/6321495/Arkansas/House-committee-approves-two-year-study-of-benefit-cliffs-that-can-discourage-work","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6321495-02108cdbab86a4ba84080845a906987e/orig.mp4?Expires=1775746760&Signature=PR~L~xaZ1bUjZUWxBwy~5W29JE2RrM2HuwGguwfirZYQVKFPFBZ8F2zYVWr8zOh0rkihw~1~mVPHw9vujeExNrx6Phzqw8~kb9xdhv65wBp1JGy-1fBhwUwRlbpWXnh752mPSGfZprM2odIsKDy6XMjG1WIdb5IUapupPHmMnkSlA7gjGJEaFt7k4AYKceO2bz5Q3bKRpg-J3yuQ7neYBhncVyCjxsfEZVHGakJ7h70L~aDS3C6VTbB2Lrer3ejz2DWkCdYPYgpXn~TxYrXDclpcAbld7HKtyT1-TiWz-~gbJMfH~R-RLjdx0gKPX5Z2rULlcx6t8hldwQ3rGXfKiA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee on an undisclosed date voted to pass Senate Bill 50, creating an ALC subcommittee to study so-called \"benefit cliffs\"—situations in which earning more income can cause a larger loss of public benefits and leave families worse off.

Representative Wing, who presented the bill, said the study would use an ALC subcommittee \"to address this issue comprehensively and to take an approach that's research based\" and deliver recommendations ahead of the 2027 legislative session.

The nut of the bill, as supporters described it, is to identify and reduce inadvertent disincentives in the state’s mix of public assistance programs. \"You might be able to get a $2,000 raise at your job... but then you find that that takes you above a certain income threshold and you lose $4,000 worth of benefit,\" Representative Wing said, summarizing the problem the study will examine.

Witnesses who testified for the bill urged broad participation in the study and said coordination could improve outcomes for families. Ryan Norris of Americans for Prosperity said the subcommittee should look at both \"internal barriers\" and \"external barriers\" that keep people from leaving long-term assistance. Paul Chapman of Restore Hope described a coordinated-services model used across 19 counties and said coordinated casework had helped thousands of families move toward full-time work. Pete Guss of Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families highlighted analyses showing some Arkansas families face multiple large benefit cliffs as income rises.

Local elected officials also testified. Ethan Dunbar, mayor of Lewisville, described rural families who \"go to work every day but still find it hard to make ends meet,\" and urged the subcommittee to include rural perspectives.

Committee members asked whether the subcommittee would include non‑governmental service providers; supporters said the study is intended to be broad. Representative Lademan asked whether outside nonprofits and community action agencies could participate; Representative Wing answered, \"Everything is on the table. We want all knowledge to come in. We've got a two-year process to be able to gather it all.\"

The committee voted on a motion to pass the bill; the motion carried. The bill directs the ALC subcommittee to report recommendations to the governor, speaker of the House and the Senate pro tempore, with the intent of proposing legislative changes that would reduce harmful fiscal cliffs and better align workforce and social service programs.

Supporters said the study is intended to be research driven and to produce recommendations that maximize both use of public funds and individuals’ opportunities to reach self-sufficiency. The bill does not itself change benefit rules; it creates a formal study process and reporting pathway.","The House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee voted to pass Senate Bill 50, establishing an Arkansas Legislative Council (ALC) subcommittee to study how public benefit phaseouts affect Arkansans’ ability to advance from public assistance to self-sufficiency.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: committee actions on multiple health and workforce bills

Committee updates scope for athletic trainers and physical therapists; chiropractors raise concerns

House committee considers expanding APRN authority to prescribe Schedule II drugs; measure fails after hours of debate

House committee approves two-year study of "benefit cliffs" that can discourage work