House Committee on Health, Insurance, & Environment (03/17/2015)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, INSURANCE, & ENVIRONMENT

Date:	03/17/2015	ATTENDANCE

Time:	09:49 AM to 10:06 AM	Brown	X
		Esgar	*
Place:	HCR 0107	Humphrey	*
		Joshi	X
This Meeting was called to order by		Klingenschmitt	X
	Representative McCann	Landgraf	X
		Lontine	*
This Report was prepared by		Mitsch Bush	X
	Amanda King	Primavera	X
		Ransom	X
		Ryden	X
		Ginal	X
		McCann	X
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
SB15-105		Referred to the Committee of the Whole

09:50 AM -- SB 15-105

Representative Primavera presented Senate Bill 15-105. This bill implements the recommendations from the 2014 sunset review for the licensing of respiratory therapists. Under current law, the licensing requirements are set to expire on July 1, 2015; this bill extends the program until September 1, 2024.

Beginning July 1, 2015, the bill changes the program as follows:

• allows the director of the Office of Respiratory Therapy to discipline a licensee for failing to respond to complaints in a timely manner;
• requires licensees to notify the director of any physical or mental illness or condition that renders the person unable to practice respiratory therapy with reasonable skill and safety to clients;
• prohibits the director from disciplining a licensee solely for a physical or mental disability that affects his or her practice and instead allows discipline only in certain circumstances;
• allows the director to order a licensee to undergo a physical or mental evaluation and suspend the license of any person who refuses;
• allows the director to enter into a confidential agreement with a licensee to limit his or her practice based on the licensee's physical or mental illness or condition;
• requires a person whose license is revoked to wait two years before seeking a new license;
• eliminates the requirement that the director send letters of admonition via certified mail; and
• strikes references to the National Board of Respiratory Care as the body that credentials respiratory therapists and instead grants the director the power to select the appropriate national credentialing body upon whose practice standards to base licensure in this state.

Representative Primavera responded to questions about the sunset review process. Copies of the 2014 Sunset Review: Respiratory Therapy Practice Act(Attachment A) were distributed to the committee members.

150317 AttachA.pdf

09:52 AM -- Brian Tobias, Department of Regulatory Agencies, testified in support of the bill and described the sunset review process. He discussed why a nine-year continuation was recommended. Mr. Tobias responded to questions about the bill and the costs of licenses for respiratory therapists. Committee members dialogued with Mr. Tobias about the sunset review process, respiratory therapists, and provisions of the bill.

10:04 AM

Representative Primavera made concluding remarks about the bill. The committee discussed the bill.


BILL:	SB15-105
TIME:	10:05:58 AM
MOVED:	Primavera
MOTION:	Refer Senate Bill 15-105 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 8-5.
SECONDED:	Ginal
		VOTE
	Brown	Yes
	Esgar	Yes
	Humphrey	No
	Joshi	No
	Klingenschmitt	No
	Landgraf	No
	Lontine	Yes
	Mitsch Bush	Yes
	Primavera	Yes
	Ransom	No
	Ryden	Yes
	Ginal	Yes
	McCann	Yes
Final YES: 8 NO: 5 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

10:06 AM

The committee adjourned.