CLEAR

Indiana considers transition to teaching program

A bill under consideration in Indiana would allow teachers to teach in the classroom with an initial practitioners' license. A transition to teaching program would be developed to mentor and assist those teachers with moving towards full licensure. An initial practitioner's license would have a requirement of passing an exam of basic reading, writing and math; pedagogy; and, for elementary education, reading instruction.

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CNA explores expanded membership

The Canadian Nurses Association is considering expanding its membership categories to include licensed/registered practical nurses and registered psychiatric nurses, partly in response to changes in British Columbia. Beginning in May 2018, four categories of registered nurses in BC will merge under one professional association, and the Association of Registered Nurses of British Columbia, a CNA member, will cease to exist. The new association in BC will include nursing categories not currently included in CNA membership. The CNA is also considering the expanded membership in order to bring unity and collaboration within the nursing profession, representing all nursing groups and promoting intra-professional collaboration. A two-thirds majority of voting delegates is required to pass the bylaw change at the June 18 annual meeting.

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Michigan considers joining Interstate Medical Licensure Compact

Two bills under consideration in Michigan would allow the state to join the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, allowing Michigan physicians to obtain a license to practice in other compact states through a streamlined process. The bill is supported by the Michigan Health and Hospital Association and several health systems as a way to address a physician shortage, especially in rural areas. The bills are facing opposition, however, from the Michigan State Medical Society because of language that defines a physician as holding specialty certification recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties or the American Osteopathic Association's Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists, which is not currently a requirement for licensure in Michigan.

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Nebraska: all prescription drugs to be entered into monitoring system

Pharmacists and prescribers in Nebraska are now required to enter all prescriptions into the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program database, not just controlled or commonly abused substances. Nebraska is the first US state to require daily logging of all prescription drugs, allowing doctors and pharmacists to get complete medication histories for patients. Although entering prescriptions will be required, there is no requirement that doctors and pharmacists consult the system before writing or dispensing prescriptions. Only 23.7% of prescribers and dispensers were registered to use the system as of December 2017. The addition of all prescriptions is adding almost 110,000 records a day to the database, 10 and 1/2 times what was being entered before the change.

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Illinois: legislation on gun dealer licensure awaits signature

A bill approved in the Illinois House and Senate would require anyone selling, leasing or transferring ownership if firearms to be licensed by teh Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. There would also be a training requirement for gun dealers and their employees related to how to conduct background checks. The legislation now awaits the governor's signature.

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Indiana: House passes DACA professional licensing change

The Indiana House has passed a bill to change citizenship requirements for professional licensing to allow Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients to apply for professional licenses. The Indiana Professional Licensing Agency indicated that, due to a 2011 state immigration law, at least 37 DACA recipients have been denied a professional license. The bill to change citizenship requirements passed the House by an 88-8 vote and is expected to receive support in the Senate.

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Opinion: economist supports federal regulatory process

Amid calls for reining in occupational licensing, economist Tyler Cowen provides an opinion piece calling for a federal approach to regulation. He explains that removing licensing from state and local governments would "produce a more homogenized and less idiosyncratic body of regulatory law more geared toward the most important cases, such as medicine and child care. The federal government is less likely than many state and local governments to obsess over licensing rules for fortune tellers, florists and athletic trainers."  He also advocates that federalization of licensing would create standardization across state lines that would enhance mobility.

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