Bill would impose timelines on OPLC investigations; agency warns of staffing, statute conflicts

Sen. Howard Pearl introduced Senate Bill 185 to require the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC) to add explicit time limits to how complaints are screened and investigated, a measure supporters say would give both complainants and licensees clearer information about case status.

The bill would require an initial OPLC staff determination about whether an allegation includes professional misconduct within 30 days. If OPLC finds a claim of misconduct, staff would have a defined period to complete an investigation and report back to the relevant board; if the investigation is incomplete, the board "may either instruct the office to continue with its investigation or make a final determination on the claim" within a set time after it receives the staff report.

Backlog, statutes and staffing

Proponents described the changes as a transparency and timeliness fix. "Senate bill 185 proposes to add timelines to the existing process in order to ensure transparency and to provide more timely resolution for all licensees under OPLC," Sen. Pearl said during the hearing.

OPLC officials told the committee they share the goal of timelier resolution but raised several operational and legal concerns. Deanna Juris, OPLC executive director, said the office…