Bill would expand reporting on licensed-board vacancies after witnesses cite long delays

Representative Jonathan Karlen introduced changes to reporting on professional licensing boards at the House Business and Labor Committee hearing, saying the amendment would give the Legislature more complete, up-to-date information about board membership and expired terms.

"There are 37 occupational licensing boards," Karlen said, adding he found many board seats with expired terms when reviewing membership lists. He told the committee the amendment would add the economic affairs interim committee as a recipient of an existing Department of Labor report and would add a count of members serving past their terms.

The bill drew testimony from licensee representatives who said vacancies have interfered with boards'' operations. Deborah Kimmet, executive director of the Business League for Massage Therapy and Bodywork, told the committee she found protracted vacancies during a review last year: "By the same token, having a vacancy for, more than 6 months is an issue."

Proponent Matt Leo, representing the Montana Athletic Trainers Association, supported a six-month target to fill vacancies and backed the sponsor''s amendment clarifying when any clock should start.

Sarah Swanson, Commissioner at the Department of Labor and Industry, described the amendment as a practical alternative to creating a new report and cited existing reporting statute language. She also clarified the existing holdover rule for appointed board members: "It essentially says in law that any appointed board member to any governor's appointed board or commission continues to serve indefinitely despite the term of their appointment." Swanson said the department and the governor's office would support the bill with the offered amendment.

Kevin Bragg, bureau chief for professional licensing, appeared as an informational witness to answer committee questions about operational details.

Committee members questioned proponents and staff about the size of some boards and how vacancies affect quorum and disciplinary panels. Kimmet said one board had only two of five member slots filled at one point and that the absence of members forced remaining members to continue serving to preserve board function.

No committee vote was recorded in the transcript. The sponsor said he would work with the committee on additional information the Legislature might want ahead of future policy or consolidation discussions and closed the hearing by asking the committee to consider the amendment.

The hearing record shows proponents, the licensing commissioner and bureau chief present and discussing the amendment that would expand an existing report to the Legislature rather than require a new submission.