Committee finds H 588 (draft 6.1) favorable; removes APRN renewal requirement, orders sunrise report on speech-language pathology assistants
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Summary
The Government Operations & Military Affairs committee voted to find H 588 (draft 6.1) favorable, removing an APRN license-renewal documentation requirement and replacing proposed licensure for speech-language pathology assistants with a sunrise report from the Office of Professional Regulation due on or before Nov. 15.
The Government Operations & Military Affairs committee voted to find H 588 (draft 6.1) favorable and advance the measure to the floor, endorsing a set of amendments that remove a nursing license-renewal documentation requirement and postpone licensure decisions for speech-language pathology assistants.
Legislative counsel Tim Devlin summarized the changes for the committee. "This bill removes the requirement for advanced practice registered nurse license renewal" that had required documentation of completion of an APRN practice requirement, Devlin said. He also said the draft eliminates proposed licensure for speech-language pathology assistants and instead requires a "sunrise" report from the Office of Professional Regulation (OPR) to advise the legislature on whether regulation or credentialing is appropriate.
Devlin identified placement of the edits in the committee packet ("APRN renewal language should appear on page 17" and the sunrise report language on page 21) and said the sunrise report must be delivered by OPR "on or before November 15 this year" to this committee and its sister senate committee, "on the advisability of regulation and suggested level of credentialing for speech language pathology assistance practicing in the States," according to Devlin's summary of the draft.
The draft also removes a previously proposed OPR report concerning possible professional regulation of the disposition of human remains by outdoor cremation; committee discussion noted that study language was taken out because the committee did not have sufficient time or testimony from impacted departments and agencies.
After a brief opportunity for committee comment, an unidentified committee member moved that the committee "find H 5 8 8 draft 6.1 favorable." The clerk called the roll; the transcript records representatives responding by name and answering "Yes." The audible tally recorded during the roll call was noted as "10 01" in the transcript; the committee then concluded its meeting and prepared to take the bill up on the floor at 3:30 p.m.
A committee member also flagged a typographical error in the supporting overview that read "physiologist" instead of "psychologist." Devlin and the chair confirmed the typo appears in the overview materials (not in the bill text) and said the correction will be made in the supporting documents.
The committee adjourned and the chair reminded members that there would be no committee work the next morning due to floor business and caucus; committee work will resume at 1:00 p.m. the following day to continue work on item "8 6 7," described in the transcript as government accountability.
What happens next: With the committee finding H 588 draft 6.1 favorable, the bill is set to proceed to the floor calendar for further consideration. The OPR is scheduled to submit the required sunrise report on speech-language pathology assistance by Nov. 15, per the amendment language summarized in committee.
