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Senate committee reviews wide-ranging OPR bill, debates pharmacist prescribing and massage regulation
Summary
The Office of Professional Regulation bill (S.8588) drew detailed review: committee discussed expanding pharmacists' test‑and‑treat authority (COVID, flu, strep) and possible inclusion of HIV PEP/PrEP, technical disciplinary and fee fixes, interstate compact background checks, and a contested debate over massage practitioner registration versus licensure.
An OPR representative walked the Senate Committee on Government Operations through changes in S.8588 on April 10, describing multiple administrative and professional‑practice updates. The bill packages disciplinary‑process changes, fee‑structure fixes and updates intended to facilitate interstate compact licensure for physicians, and includes health‑care provisions that would expand test‑and‑treat authority for pharmacists.
On pharmacist authority, committee members heard that the bill would allow pharmacists to test for influenza, COVID‑19 and strep and treat when an order exists, reflecting capacity of multiplex…
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