Committee advances a package of bills on birthing centers, education tests, dental outreach, alcohol sales and licensing

The Committee on Licensing, Occupations, and Administrative Regulations on May 20 passed a group of measures covering birthing-center standards, education testing, school dental outreach, limited alcohol-sale changes, and professional-license eligibility.

House Bill 90 (Birthing centers): Representative Jason Nemas presented House Bill 90, a measure addressing birthing-center requirements. Sponsors described the bill’s negotiated changes as including a required transfer agreement with a hospital, insurance coverage requirements, a proximity-to-hospital standard, informed consent provisions, accreditation tied to ACOG levels, and a physician medical director requirement. Sponsors said those changes won the hospital association’s neutrality on the bill. The committee recorded a roll-call and approved the bill.

House Bill 324 (Teacher testing / Praxis): Representative Mike Clines presented House Bill 324, asking the committee to remove the Praxis as a required gate for some educator hires. Clines said districts use university credentials and that the Praxis requirement can cause instructional aides and teachers to lose jobs. The committee passed the bill on voice and roll-call votes.

House Bill 449 (School dental outreach): Representative Freeland presented House Bill 449 to support mobile dental teams and university dental school outreach programs that provide screenings, preventative care (cleanings, fluoride, sealants), and follow-up coordination for students. Sponsors described the work of the University of Louisville School of Dentistry and University of Kentucky College of Dentistry and the bill passed on a roll call.

Alcohol bill (retail-to-restaurant purchases and auctioneer licenses): The committee combined two alcohol-related changes in one measure. The bill would permit limited purchases by restaurants at retail stores to cover shortfalls (subject to quantity limits and the three-tier system), and it would create a temporary auction license ($100, 30 days, single auction) allowing sale and shipping of unopened, original-package alcoholic products under specified reporting and shipping restrictions (not to dry territories). Sponsors said auctioneers with the temporary license may not hold other alcohol licenses. The committee approved the measure and adopted a title amendment.

House Bill 710 (Pharmaceutical license reinstatement): Representative Tom Smith presented House Bill 710, which replaces a statutory lifetime/permanent prohibition on reinstating a physician’s ability to prescribe pharmaceuticals with discretionary language (“may”), allowing a previously sanctioned physician a route to reapply for a pharmacy/pharmaceutical license after other licensing processes conclude. Smith said the change preserves DEA and medical-board authority; several members supported providing a pathway to re-apply while others said a permanent ban serves as a deterrent. The committee passed the bill after debate and recorded explanations on the roll call vote.

Votes at a glance: Each of the bills above was approved by the committee and will proceed for further consideration. Several members offered recorded explanations of their votes on the record; where members registered “pass” or explained concerns, those explanations were recorded during the roll call.

The committee adjourned after completing the agenda.