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Committee amends and passes bill expanding health-worker awards and loosening EMS licensing timeline
Summary
House Bill 305 was amended and unanimously passed out of the Senate Health Services committee to add occupations to a prior health-worker award program and to provide flexibility in licensing timelines tied to certificates of need.
Representative Ken Fleming presented House Bill 305, describing two primary changes: expanding an existing workforce award program to include additional health professions, and clarifying hospital-related ownership and licensing timelines for emergency medical services tied to certificates of need.
"...we funded this past, this past budget cycle that funded, health care workers. And it covered a broad spectrum," Fleming said, and added that "CPE has asked that we expand that to include dietitians and physician assistants." He said the change responds to demand to include those occupations among award-eligible health-care workers.
Fleming also said the bill would clarify that services may be provided by entities owned or operated by a hospital, including by contract, when hospitals transfer patients or provide interfacility services. He described a regulatory timing issue tied to certificates of need: once a CON is issued there is a timeline for obtaining a license, commonly enforced by the Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services. Fleming said the bill would provide more flexibility on that timeline so facilities can secure required licenses after CON approval.
The committee moved, amended and voted on the bill. Chairman Meredith announced, "The vote is unanimous. House bill 3 0 5 is amended, passes the favorable expression." The committee also approved a title amendment before adjournment.
Nut graf: HB 305 makes technical and eligibility changes to an existing health-care workforce award program and seeks regulatory flexibility for EMS licensing windows following certificate-of-need decisions; the committee amended and unanimously advanced the bill.
The discussion on HB 305 referenced a previously passed House bill that created the award program and a hospital-related EMS bill (referred to by Fleming as "hospital 777") as background. Fleming said the goal is to expand eligible occupations for awards and to prevent hospitals from losing the ability to secure licenses due to rigid regulatory timelines.
Ending: With unanimous committee support, HB 305 advances with amendments; the committee chair indicated no consent calendar will be used in this committee and members were reminded of possible special meetings as the session advances.
