Nevada's governor has signed an emergency regulation that reduces the cost of substitute teacher licenses and allows 6-month extension of expiration dates for provisional educator licenses. The regulation is at the request of the Commission on Professional Standards in Education to help address educator workforce shortage.
September 07, 2022
Nevada: emergency regulation change for teacher licensing
July 20, 2022
Amendments to BC's Professional Governance Act
British Columbia's Professional Governance Amendment Act came into force on June 2, 2022. This article details some of the key updates and additions. Non-payment of fees by a registrant will be a discretionary revocation rather than a mandatory revocation. Also, failure to complete continuing education requirements can be treated as an administrative matter with suspension or cancellation of registration. Under new amendments, regulatory bodies may be required to pay an annual fee to the Office of the Superintendent of Professional Governance. A new section allow Indigenous peoples to undertake traditional practices and knowledge in relation to biology, forestry and agrology without considering this as regulated services restricted to registrants.
March 23, 2022
Wisconsin: Capitol hearing highlights license backlog
In testimony before the Assembly Committee on Regulatory Licensing Reform, representatives from psychology, social work, physical therapy, occupational therapy, chiropractic, marriage and family therapy, and private security spoke of delays and backlog for licensure applications. Testimony noted that license applications have more than doubled in less than a decade, with the trend expected to continue. Representatives of the professions called on the Legislature to grant budget requests to add staff to the Department of Safety and Professional Standards. Testimony from the DSPS liaison noted that $37 million of the department's revenue is diverted back to the state's general fund.
January 12, 2022
California Medical Board seeks discipline reform
The Medical Board of California has asked the legislature to consider changes to disciplinary policies to lower the standard of proof required to prove cases of professional misconduct, applying the preponderance of evidence standard. They also requested an increase in the amount of time before a doctor can petition to reinstate a revoked license. An increase in licensing fees is also sought.
June 23, 2021
States consider taxing professional services
Several US states may be considering the introduction of bills to impose a sales tax on professional services such as those offered by certified professional accountants, attorneys, real estate agents and architects. According to the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, states are looking at ways to expand their tax base in response to current budget difficulties. Even prior to the pandemic, Utah, Connecticut, Wyoming and Maryland introduced such legislation, but the bills failed under opposition from the affected professions.
April 28, 2021
Pennsylvania: results from veteran and military spouse occupational licensing survey
The Pennsylvania Department of State has released results from a survey of veterans and military spouses about occupational licensing issues. The survey indicated that "translating military credentials and work experience to satisfy state occupational license requirements poses a significant barrier to veterans." Respondents indicated a desire for easier acceptance of military training, education and experience, as well as waiver of fess, when applying for occupational licensure. A military occupational crosswalk is in development to guide licensing boards in converting military experience to licensure requirements. The report also recommends increasing veterans and military spouse representation on licensing boards, expediting review of military licensure applications, and allowing veterans to be licensed by examination.
March 31, 2021
UK Department of Health and Social Care publishes proposed changes to healthcare regulation
The UK Department of Health and Social Care has published proposed changes to healthcare regulation and opened a public consultation. The aim of the reform is to make healthcare professional regulation "faster, fairer, and more flexible and to minimize costs to registrants." The consultation includes "detailed proposals to modernize each of the healthcare professional regulators' legislative frameworks." The proposed reforms cover four key areas: governance and operating framework, education and training, registration, and fitness to practice.
Just a few highlights:
- devolve many of the decisions about day to day procedures to the regulators themselves
- create a duty to co-operate, specific duties in relation to transparency, and a duty to assess the proportionality of changes to rules and procedures before they are introduced
- power for all regulators to set their fees without Parliamentary oversight
- power to set standards for and approve specific courses or programs of training rather than just the providers
- a consistent framework for fitness to practice across all regulators
- regulation of physician associates and anesthesia associates
Julie Maciura with Steinecke Maciura LeBlanc offers analysis and commentary on the consultation paper in the April issue of Grey Areas
January 27, 2021
Idaho: report on board consolidation progress
The administrator of the newly created Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses in Idaho has given progress report to legislators. He reports that four of the eleven agencies being consolidated are now in temporary office space, with ongoing remodeling and construction for the new Division. Despite relocation and remodeling costs, the report anticipates future cost-savings due to availability of meeting space and reduced lease payments by individual agencies.
December 30, 2020
Arkansas: Occupational Licensing Review Subcommittee report
The Arkansas Legislative Council's Occupational Licensing Review Subcommittee has submitted recommendations to repeal licensing for sprinkler fitters, people who sell motor vehicles and new recreational vehicles, and lime vendors. They also recommend that the Board of Physical Therapy evaluate its licensing fees, including a comparison of physical therapy licensing fees in surrounding states. The subcommittee plans to review 307 occupational licenses over the next six years.
December 02, 2020
Law Society of Ontario assigns 10% fee for older non-practicing lawyers
The Law Society of Ontario has removed annual licensing fee exemptions for lawyers over 65 who are no longer practicing and instead instituted a 10% annual charge, equivalent to $187 for lawyers and $96 for paralegals to maintain their license. A budget approved in October reduced licensing fees for practicing lawyers and paralegals.
