Senate panel advances scope‑and‑licensing omnibus; AI amendment withdrawn after extended debate
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Summary
The Health and Human Services Finance and Policy Committee recommended Senate File 32‑98 as amended for passage and referral to finance after adopting numerous scope and licensing changes; debate over an amendment to prohibit AI from 'practicing medicine' prompted members to withdraw the amendment for further study.
The Senate Health and Human Services Finance and Policy Committee on March 26 advanced Senate File 32‑98 (scope and licensing omnibus) as amended and re‑referred the bill to the finance committee.
Committee members adopted multiple substantive and technical amendments to incorporate bills heard earlier in the session. Notable inclusions: an amendment permitting pharmacists to initiate, prescribe, dispense and administer medications for the treatment of opioid use disorder (incorporating language heard separately); changes to marriage and family therapist reciprocity to move some rule requirements into statute and eliminate a five‑year waiting period for qualified out‑of‑state therapists; technical updates to massage/music therapy licensure language; and dental board technical changes.
The committee discussed a high‑profile amendment (A‑10) that would state a person practicing medicine must be a human and cannot be AI, while allowing licensed professionals to use AI tools. Members expressed concern about scope, unintended effects on psychologists and psychiatrists, robotic surgery, liability and the pace of AI change. Multiple senators asked for informational hearings and more stakeholder input; the amendment's author withdrew A‑10 for further work. "I will withdraw the A‑10 amendment for today," the author said, and indicated they want to continue refining the language.
Senator Wicklund described other adopted changes in the omnibus as efforts to incorporate policy items that have already had hearings and stakeholder conversations. The committee also adopted a technical oral amendment to address the board of social work implementation timing and accepted an A‑11 amendment aligning statutes with a recent court ruling regarding a county‑administered rural medical assistance program (KARMA).
Outcome: By voice vote the committee recommended Senate File 32‑98 as amended be passed and re‑referred to the finance committee.
What’s next: The measure will be considered by the Senate finance committee for any fiscal impacts and then scheduled for floor action.
