Bill to extend background‑check rechecks and improve portability draws broad support from providers

Salem — Lawmakers on the House Committee on Behavioral Health heard House Bill 4,115 on Feb. 3, a proposal to streamline background checks for caregivers by extending recheck intervals, enabling portability between similar employers and allowing payment once complete credentialing applications are submitted to the Oregon Health Authority.

Representative Nancy Nathanson, one of the bill sponsors, described frequent multiweek waits for background checks and said the bill combines no‑cost technical fixes and stakeholder recommendations to reduce duplication: "We need what's called portability," she said, adding that private‑sector background checks often complete in "a day or two" while public processes can take weeks. Representative Anna Scharf said the changes will help long‑term care, disability services and behavioral‑health providers recruit staff more quickly.

Provider and industry groups testified in support. Libby Baton of the Oregon Health Care Association, which represents long‑term care providers, said moving the recheck timeline from two years to three will "provide relief points" and align Oregon with other states. Kristen Milligan of LeadingAge Oregon said the current system is slow and repetitive and that longer recheck cycles would reduce backlogs and speed hiring. Amanda Dalton (Oregon Resource Association) and other stakeholders noted past attempts to address related issues and urged continued coordination with existing reforms such as wrap‑back programs.

Committee members asked targeted questions about whether the bill addresses repeated rechecks when employees change positions within the same employer and whether portability would apply across settings; sponsors said the bill aims to reduce such duplication and that technical amendments were expected.