Committee votes 'do not pass' on proposed Nursing Services Agency bill after agency and A.G. review

The Workforce Development Committee voted to recommend a "do not pass" on Senate Bill 2031, a proposed Nursing Services Agency measure that would have imposed new registration, reporting and personnel-related requirements on nursing services agencies.

Assistant Attorney General Allison Hicks briefed the committee on legal and operational problems she said arose while reviewing the draft bill. Hicks told the committee that the bill’s provisions would require proof of ownership and address information for multi‑tier ownership structures, would impose payroll- and HR-style compliance checks that fall under other agencies’ purview, and would require HHS to perform functions for which department staff said it is not organized. "The more layers of the onion we peeled back, the more problems it presented. And so this bill really isn't ready for prime time," Hicks said.

Committee members heard that Human Services staff had told the committee they were not prepared to assume the HR and enforcement tasks the bill would create and that long‑term care and other provider groups raised questions about the bill’s reach. After discussion, a committee member moved a do‑not‑pass recommendation; the motion was seconded and the committee recorded a roll-call vote in favor of the do‑not‑pass recommendation. The clerk recorded the following votes on the do‑not‑pass motion: Senator Wabamah — yes; Senator Larson — yes; Senator Bosche — yes; Senator Powers — yes. The motion carried.

Committee members and staff encouraged provider groups to continue internal work within their associations and to return with a more narrowly focused or administratively feasible proposal if they wish to pursue regulatory changes in future sessions.