Committee hears bill to join dietitian licensure compact; local providers cite administrative and competitive reasons

Chairman McNamara introduced House Bill 5067, a proposal to join an interstate licensure compact allowing registered dietitians licensed in participating states to practice across member jurisdictions.

Julia Berman, a registered dietitian who treats patients with chronic kidney disease, testified that holding multiple state licenses is “quite cumbersome” and that variation in continuing education and fees impedes virtual and cross-border patient care. "It would really help reach clients and customers elderly patients in their homes who are unable to get to a dietitian at a center," she said.

Wendy Leonard, a Rhode Island-based registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of a multi-site practice who employs 11 dietitians, told the committee the compact would reduce administrative cost and time for employers who must license clinicians in several states. Leonard said national virtual companies can hire dietitians from many states, giving those firms a competitive advantage over local small practices. The bill’s sponsors said the compact is modeled on previously adopted interstate compacts for health professions such as physician assistants and physical therapists.

Committee members asked about workforce supply; Chairman McNamara said the compact aims chiefly to allow Rhode Island dietitians to work across state lines and did not assert the state is in immediate short supply of dietitians. The committee took no final vote; the panel’s procedural motion to hold all bills for further study will govern next steps.