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Alberta bill proposes centralized healthcare registry

The Health Statute Amendment Act in Alberta would create a centralized online registry of health professionals. The proposed legislation would also allow additional health service providers to access the Alberta Electronic Health Record and would establish regulation for healthcare aides under the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta. The bill also proposes the separation of the regulatory colleges from the professional associations for the six colleges that are not already separate.

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Final report on BC healthcare regulatory reform

The steering committee has released its final report on reform of the healthcare regulatory system in British Columbia. The proposal would consolidate 20 healthcare regulatory colleges into six and establish a new oversight body to set standards and serve as disciplinary authority across colleges. Members of college boards would no longer be elected but instead appointed through a competency-based process. The report requires approval by the cabinet and legislature before moving forward.

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Alberta bill on public members tabled

Bill 30, the Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2020, would require an increase in the percentage of public members on health regulatory college councils/boards from at least 25% to at least 50%, impacting the overall size of governing councils, who sites on tribunals to decide discipline cases, and the overall self-regulation of health professions. The bill has passed first reading in the legislature but was tabled on July 6.

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Florida: Occupational Freedom and opportunity Act signed into law

Florida's governor has signed into law the Occupational Freedom and Opportunity Act. The Act reduces education requirements for auctioneers, barbers, electrical contractors, and geologists and removes some requirements for nutritionists, interior designers, landscape architects, nutritionists, accountants, alarm system installers and boxing announcers. A major component of the bill requires reciprocal license agreements if the other state's licensure requirements are substantially equivalent. The bill also prohibits license suspension or revocation based solely on default of student loans. Among other changes, the bill allows individuals to provide information, wellness recommendations or advice concerning nutrition without a license so long as services are not provided to a person under the care of a medical doctor for a condition requiring nutrition intervention and the individual does not hold themselves out to be licensed.

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Iowa passes license reciprocity bill

HF 2627 passed in Iowa will allow new Iowa residents with an out-of-state professional license to obtain a similar license in Iowa without examination requirements if their out-of-state license is in good standing; they have been licensed for at least one year; they have met education, training and exam requirements in the other state; and they have not been disciplined or have unresolved complaints against them in the other state. The bill also states that for licensure denial based on criminal conviction, the conviction must be directly related to the duties of the profession. The bill also waives initial licensure fees for individuals with family income below 200% of federal poverty level.

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Arizona bill to increase public members on boards

The Arizona House has approved a bill that would increase the number of public members to form a majority for the Board of Technical Registration, Board of Barbers, Board of Cosmetology, Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers, and Board of Massage Therapy. The governor would appoint all members. The bill now goes to the Senate.

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Georgia Secretary of State to introduce professional licensing reform package

Georgia's Secretary of State has announced the intention to introduce a professional licensing reform package aimed at streamlining the licensing process. The package is expected to be presented to the Legislature in June.

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New tool to analyze occupational licensing laws

The Mackinac Center for Public Policy has released a study that includes a model for reviewing occupational regulation laws "to help ensure they protect public safety without overburdening workers and consumers." The report describes different factors that policy makers should consider and provides a process to help identify "the most cost-effective and public welfare-enhancing regulatory tool needed for any occupation."

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California: license reciprocity bill introduced

California has introduced Assembly Bill 2185 to allow licensees in good standing in another state to transfer their license to California. To be eligible, individuals must have been actively practicing the professions for three of the past five years without any disciplinary action against their license.  California boards would still be able to require a state-specific exam if it is a requirement for California licensure.

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Arizona considers restructuring of regulatory boards

A bill under consideration in the Arizona Senate would change the composition of the Arizona Board of Technical Registration, Board of Barbers, Board of Cosmetology, State Board of Accountancy, State Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers, and Board of Massage Therapists such that the governor would appoint board members who are not licensed professionals in the field and the majority on the board would be public members.

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