Committee hears bill to add continuing education and limited student licenses for respiratory therapists

Representative Thompson presented House Bill 51‑50 to the House Rules Committee, saying the measure would require 15 clock hours of continuing education at licensing renewal, create a limited license for second‑year respiratory‑therapy students, and align statutory language with current clinical practice.

"This limited license will be granted the second year of the student's program," Thompson said, describing safeguards: student practitioners would not perform tasks on ICU patients or children and would always work under supervising respiratory therapists. Thompson said the change replaces an earlier certified respiratory credential and would bring uniformity across training sites.

Emma, identified by Thompson as her director, confirmed the only new rule in the bill is the limited license provision and described it as replacing the previous certified credential. Committee members asked whether the bill necessitated new rule promulgation and whether additional FTEs would be required; Thompson answered the bill opens statutory sections for rulemaking and said no new full‑time staff would be required, noting oversight duties would fall to existing EMS or licensing divisions.

Committee members did not take a vote on House Bill 51‑50 during this hearing; Thompson offered to answer follow‑up questions and staff signaled further review of statutory cross‑references.