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Committee advances confirmations for clinical laboratory science board
Summary
The Senate committee moved to confirm Kara Bushmaker and Michelle Griffin to the Board of Clinical Laboratory Science Practitioners; lieutenant governor and licensing bureau stressed continuity while statutory re-staggering takes effect.
The Senate Business, Labor and Economic Affairs Committee voted to advance Senate Resolution 37, which would confirm appointments to the Board of Clinical Laboratory Science Practitioners.
Senator Mark Nolan presented the nominations, and Lieutenant Governor Kristen Juras told the committee the appointments are needed while statutory changes enacted in 2023 (standardizing terms and start dates) are phased in. "So now all terms start July 1," she said, explaining the law made term starts and lengths uniform across professional boards.
Kevin Bragg, bureau chief for professional licensing at the Department of Labor and Industry, submitted written testimony on behalf of Michelle Griffin and urged confirmation so the board remains staffed during the transition. Kara Bushmaker, who has worked in medical laboratory science in Montana for about 17 years and currently manages a laboratory in Hamilton, described licensure as vital to patient safety and said she welcomed continued service on the board.
Senators asked procedural questions about term lengths and the difference between national certification and state licensure; Bushmaker clarified that national certification (ASCP) is separate from Montana licensure, which applicants must obtain to practice in the state. The committee moved SR 37 to do pass by voice vote and will forward it to the full Senate.
