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Representative Oliver wins committee approval for bill updating Respiratory Therapy Act
Summary
A committee heard HB 299, which Representative Oliver said modernizes the Respiratory Therapy Act by adding background checks, fingerprinting, subpoena authority, an extra board seat and a wellness program; the committee adopted an amendment and gave the bill a favorable report.
Representative Oliver asked a legislative committee to give HB 299 a favorable report after describing changes he said would "modernize the Respiratory Therapy Act." The measure would add criminal background checks and fingerprinting, grant subpoena authority in disciplinary cases, add another respiratory therapist to the licensing board and create a wellness program for impaired practitioners.
Oliver also described a party-negotiated amendment sought by the Medical Association of Alabama to remove language that would have allowed respiratory therapists to practice under the direction of advanced practice professionals, including physician assistants, certified registered nurse practitioners and certified registered nurse anesthetists with prescribing authority. "The Medical association of Alabama is seeking the amendment that would take out the language allowing respiratory therapists to practice under the direction of an advanced practice professional," Oliver said.
A lawmaker moved to approve the amendment; the chair called a voice vote and the amendment was adopted. Representative Oliver then asked for favorable passage of HB 299. The committee recorded a voice vote in favor and gave HB 299 a favorable report; the transcript does not provide roll-call vote counts or named individual votes.
The committee took no additional recorded action on HB 299 during this session. Next procedural steps were not specified in the transcript.
