Subcommittee backs bill to let Florida join respiratory-care licensure compact
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Summary
The subcommittee reported HB 1235 favorably after supporters, including Suhay Tucker of the Florida Society for Respiratory Care, said the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact would ease licensure burdens, improve access during respiratory surges and be funded by licensure fees rather than taxpayers.
The Florida House Health Care Budget Subcommittee on Monday reported House Bill 1235 favorably, a measure that would authorize Florida to join the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact.
Representative Connerly described HB 1235 as a bill that "authorizes Florida to enter into a respiratory care interstate compact and enacts the provisions of the compact into Florida law." The committee did not adopt amendments and there was no debate on the floor of the subcommittee.
Suhay Tucker, a practicing respiratory therapist and the secretary of the Florida Society for Respiratory Care, testified in support. Tucker told the committee the compact allows "qualified respiratory therapists to practice across participating states without obtaining multiple licenses while fully preserving Florida's authority over licensure standards, scope of practice and discipline." She said compact operations are funded through licensure and privilege fees, "not taxpayer dollars," and that the compact helps hospitals and health systems gain staffing flexibility during predictable seasonal respiratory surges such as influenza and RSV.
The clerk called the roll for a vote after Representative Connerly closed. Multiple members responded "Yes," and the chair announced that HB 1235 was reported favorably.
With the committee's favorable report, HB 1235 advances under the legislature's committee process; the transcript contains no recorded fiscal estimate or debate about cost to state agencies.
The committee then concluded bill presentations and moved on to budget business.
