Think tank urges Hawaii legislature to join Interstate Medical Licensure Compact

The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii is urging the state legislature to pass a bill (HB 666) that would enter Hawaii into the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLC). In testimony to the House Committee on Health & Homelessness, Policy Researcher Jonathan Helton told lawmakers that joining the IMLC would help the state address ongoing doctor shortages, which he said have become “a serious obstacle to healthcare access in our state.” In addition to primary care physicians, Hawaii is also facing critical shortages in other health care professions, including specialists, nurses, and support staff.

While he acknowledged that fixing the problem requires a multipronged strategy addressing everything from Hawaii’s high cost of living to the state’s regulatory scheme for health care facilities, Helton said that reforming licensing regulations for health care professionals remains the most urgent need.

Joining the IMLC would attract physicians to Hawaii by streamlining licensing and making it easier for doctors from participating states to practice without facing time-consuming, costly, and redundant regulatory hurdles. Helton also noted that the state would retain its control over Hawaii licensure requirements. Read more in the Hawaii Reporter.

Turkey issues arrest warrants for contractors following earthquakes

Justice officials in Turkey have issued 113 arrest warrants targeting over 130 people they allege used shoddy and illegal construction methods during construction of buildings that collapsed in two massive earthquakes that rocked the region. Police have already taken 12 individuals into custody, including building contractors. The death toll from the 7.8 magnitude and 7.5 magnitude quakes that hit southeastern Turkey and northern Syria nine hours apart on Feb. 6. One detained contractors told reporters: “My conscience is clear. I built 44 buildings. Four of them were demolished. I did everything according to the rules.” Read more at BBC.

Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association pushes to pass veterinary technician licensure bill

The Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA) is fighting for the passage of legislation (HF 1037) that would require veterinary technicians to be licensed. Minnesota is one of only 10 states that doesn’t regulate its veterinary technicians. The MVMA does offer a voluntary certification process for vet tech graduates, but there are no mandated requirements that veterinary technicians must complete or meet to be able to practice.

HF 1037 proposes several changes to the Minnesota Veterinary Practice Act, including adding a definition for veterinary technician into the statute and requiring that only persons who are licensed by the Minnesota Board of Animal Health can carry the title of veterinary technician. All other unlicensed workers in a vet clinic would be considered veterinary assistants.

If the changes take effect, an individual who wants to become a licensed veterinary technician will need to graduate from an American Veterinary Medical Association accredited program, pass the National Veterinary Technician Examination, pass an open book jurisprudence exam, and pass a criminal background check. To renew the license, a veterinary technician would need to obtain at least 15 hours of continuing education credits every two years.

The legislation will also include a grandfather clause allowing all current certified veterinary technicians to apply to be licensed, as long as they meet stated requirements. Read more about the effort to regulate veterinary technicians in Minnesota from The Globe.

Vermont considers joining Interstate Counseling Compact

Vermont lawmakers are considering whether or not the state should join the Interstate Counseling Compact, which would create reciprocal licensure for licensed clinical mental health counselors. Advocates, including representatives from the U.S. Department of Defense and the Vermont Office of Professional Regulation, testified at a recent hearing before the House Committee on Health Care that participation in the compact would increase access to mental health services. However, the workforce implications of joining the compact are unclear, as the compact could make it easier for Vermont counselors to move out of state.

Committee members questioned the compact’s implications on disciplinary actions at the hearing. Under the compact’s rules, as written, any sanctions on a license in the provider’s home state would require other states to take disciplinary action as well. However, Office of Professional Regulation General Counsel Lauren Layman explained to lawmakers that the rules governing the compact are determined by an interstate commission, which could decide to grant states discretion on whether or not they pursue reciprocal disciplinary action. She also pointed out that Vermont providers could simply choose not to expand their practice into certain states where they’d face different legal requirements.

Layman encouraged lawmakers to enter Vermont into the compact early, so the state could have a seat on the commission as it crafts the rules. Read more from VTDigger.

Wisconsin Republicans approve audit of licensing agency after rejecting requests to add staff

Republican lawmakers have authorized an audit of Wisconsin’s Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) after years of rejecting Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ requests to add staff. The agency has been experiencing an ongoing shortage of staff that has left it struggling to keep up with an increased workload.

In August, new DSPS Secretary-designee Dan Hereth told the Legislative Council Study Committee on Occupational Licensing the agency is processing new license applications in 45 days on average — the fastest rate in six years and down from 79 days in 2021. However, legislators also heard from applicants who have spent months waiting for licenses to be processed.

Despite making several technology upgrades in recent years, the agency says that it lacks staff to keep up with increased workload. DSPS Assistant Deputy Secretary Jennifer Garrett told lawmakers the department has struggled to hire and retain license review and call center staff because of pay and working conditions.

Although the department has amassed a $47 million surplus from licensing fees, it is unable to add staff without legislative approval. Evers asked for a net increase of 20 full-time positions in the 2019-21 budget and 12 positions in the 2021-23 budget, but Republicans only authorized one new net position in each budget. The department has six fewer positions than it did when it was created in 2011.

Department officials have asked for 70 new positions across the agency in their 2023-25 budget request. Evers is expected to release his proposal on Feb. 15. Read more in Wisconsin Watch.

Regulations on licensing of traditional herbal medicinal products enter into force in Turkey

New regulations on the licensing of traditional herbal medicinal products have entered into force in Turkey. The regulation outlines licensing procedures and practices to ensure that traditional herbal medicinal products are effective, safe, and high quality.

Important issues in the regulation, summarized by NSN Law Firm, include:

• Independent application and abbreviated application types have been added to the scope of license application processes.
• Regulations have been made on the evaluation of applications, licensing period, prioritization, issuance, validity, suspension, revocation, transfer of licenses, and variations.
• Transitional provisions on products that are intermediate products with permit certificates and co-marketed products have been added to the regulation.

More news:

• Thousands of U.S. nurses learned they could be working with illegitimate academic credentials as federal officials revealed an alleged scheme among three South Florida nursing schools. The Department of Justice alleged the now-closed schools issued over 7,500 false, unearned nursing diplomas.
• South Carolina House lawmakers voted unanimously to advance HB 3065, a measure that would bar the state from denying an occupational license based on a previous criminal conviction.
• Kris Jones, who serves as the Mississippi Department of Health’s assistant senior deputy, answered several key questions surrounding the state’s Medical Cannabis Program as the city of Vicksburg prepares to open five medical cannabis dispensaries.
• Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey warned Walgreens and CVS pharmacies that their plans to mail abortion-inducing pills would be illegal and unsafe in a letter signed by 19 other attorneys general.
• India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said she will work to develop a global standard operating procedure for regulating crypto assets in her upcoming G20 meeting with finance ministers and central bank governors.

Also noteworthy:

• What does your state require for dental specialty licensure? (ADA)

Disclaimer: The thoughts, opinions, and commentary of the articles we share links to in Week in Brief do not necessarily reflect those of Ascend Magazine or Thentia.