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Committee adopts amendment and reports respiratory care interstate compact to full Senate
Summary
The committee adopted an amendment that removed initial‑licensure timing language for criminal background checks and reported House Bill 5,582, which enacts the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact, to the full Senate; the compact will become effective after seven states adopt it.
The Senate Health Committee voted to report House Bill 5,582 to the full Senate after adopting an amendment that removed a requirement to complete criminal background checks at the moment of initial licensure. Counsel explained the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact — already enacted in several states — would permit respiratory care licensees to obtain compact privileges to practice across member states once at least seven states have enacted the compact.
Committee counsel said a prior committee substitute had added comprehensive background‑check language; the sponsor requested striking the portion that required the background check at initial licensure because that wording conflicted with compact language. Counsel clarified the compact still requires state and national criminal background checks but not necessarily at the time of initial licensure under the substituted language. The committee adopted the amendment as explained by counsel and reported the bill to the full Senate with a recommendation to pass as amended.
Counsel reported an indeterminate fiscal impact to the respiratory care board and said the bill would be effective in 90 days if enacted.
