Committee hears broad support for dietitian licensure compact; FBI fingerprint review flagged as implementation risk

House Bill 145, proposing that New Hampshire join the interstate dietitian licensure compact and require a criminal-history check for new dietitian licenses, drew extensive testimony from practitioners, state regulators and law‑enforcement officials at an EDNA committee public hearing.

Representative Jackie Groda opened the hearing, saying the board of licensed dietitians requested the change to give dietitians portability across compact states while retaining state jurisdiction over single‑state licensure. Abby Savard, chair of the board of licensed dietitians, told the committee the compact creates a “privilege to practice” model: a dietitian would keep a home‑state license and could obtain compact privilege to practice in other member states. Savard said the compact would improve access to nutrition counseling, telehealth continuity and portability for military families; the bill would also add a criminal-history check to initial licensure in New Hampshire to conform with compact language.

Practicing dietitians and educators described patient continuity and access benefits. Courtney Costello, a telehealth practitioner, told the committee that compact portability reduces interrupted care for patients who relocate or travel, which she said matters especially for people with eating disorders and other chronic conditions. Tina Layton, a dietitian who holds multiple state licenses, described the administrative burden and cost of maintaining many separate state licenses and supported compact portability.

State police and licensing officials flagged an administrative risk. Victor Muzzy, captain in charge of the state criminal records unit, said the bill’s requirement for FBI fingerprint checks would obligate the state police to submit statutory language to the FBI’s legal unit for review and approval before the FBI will allow the state to disseminate federal criminal records under that new authority. That review process, Muzzy testified, can take many months; until approved the state police cannot legally disseminate FBI-supported records for that purpose. Muzzy recommended the committee work with the state police in drafting the statute and consider an effective date that allows FBI review time.

Nick Fry of the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC) confirmed the FBI-review concern and advised drafting background‑check language the FBI has accepted in other contexts, including specifying which named office or executive‑director designee will receive records rather than using broader language such as “the office.” Fry said OPLC supports a consistent statutory form for FBI checks across licensing statutes.

Committee actions and status: HB 145 drew substantial pro‑compact testimony but did not receive a committee recommendation at this hearing; the bill will go to subcommittee for further work. Several stakeholders urged clarifying whether the bill’s new criminal‑history requirement applies to existing licensees (testimony indicated it would apply to new licenses) and to refine statutory language so FBI approval can proceed without delay.

Speakers on record included Representative Jackie Groda (sponsor), Abby Savard (chair, Board of Licensed Dietitians), Courtney Costello (licensed dietitian, private practice), Kate Pfeiffer (registered/ licensed dietitian), Tina Layton (licensed dietitian, remote patient monitoring), Jennifer Chadbourne (clinical assistant professor, UNH), state police Captain Victor Muzzy (Criminal Records Unit), and Nick Fry (OPLC).