Ohio lawmakers consider bill to localize state agency licensure appeals

State lawmakers in Ohio are considering a bill that would transfer conflicts over suspended or repealed state licenses from the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas to local county courts. Senate Bill (SB) 21 would provide legal challenges to licenses issued by the Ohio Casino Control Commission, the State Medical Board, the State Chiropractic Board, the Board of Nursing, and the Liquor Control Commission to take place in the county where that person or company is based. Jurisdiction will remain in Franklin County for cases involving non-Ohio residents or businesses with no Ohio place of business.

According to its supporters, the legislation will decrease expenses, reduce the complexity of doing business in Ohio, and increase fairness for people who live across Ohio’s 87 counties, who will no longer have to travel and pay for their lawyer to go to Franklin County to appeal a license decision.

SB 21 had its first hearing in Senate Judiciary Committee, and both the Senate and the House must approve it before it can go to Governor Mike DeWine for signature. However, DeWine vetoed a similar bill in December over concerns that moving disputes out of Franklin County would result in the loss of years’ worth of legal precedent developed there. Read more from The Ohio Star.

CMA welcomes Ontario enabling health worker mobility, calls for pan-Canadian approach

In a statement from President Dr. Alika Lafontaine, the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) supported the Ontario government’s new plan to enable health worker mobility in the province, calling it “a promising step to improve access to care” and urging other provinces to adopt similar strategies.

The new “As of Right” rules will automatically recognize the credentials of health care workers registered in other provinces and territories, making Ontario the first province to allow health care workers that are already registered or licensed in another Canadian jurisdiction to practice in Ontario immediately, without having to first register with one of Ontario’s health regulatory colleges.

The CMA said it is looking forward to reviewing the details of the plan after legislation is tabled next month. It also reiterated its support for a pan-Canadian licensure model, which would allow physicians to practice in any Canadian jurisdiction without having to acquire more than one license or pay additional licensing fees.

Full nurse practitioner scope of practice led to greater workforce diversity, says new research

New research out of West Virginia University (WVU) revealed that granting full nurse practitioner (NP) scope of practice can foster greater workforce diversity that reflects the demographic of patient populations in marginalized communities, which could increase primary health care access and potentially enhance health outcomes.

In the study, experts from the Knee Center for the Study of Occupational Regulation examined how full practice authority impacted the racial and ethnic diversity of the NP workforce focusing on Black, Asian, and Hispanic communities. While nurse practitioners from marginalized communities are generally underrepresented in the workforce, the researchers found that states with full practice authority had higher concentrations of NPs that align with the demographic of their communities.

They also found evidence that Black and Asian nurse practitioners serve more Black Medicare beneficiaries after receiving full practice authority. Overall, the findings showed that Black NPs in states with full practice authority states provided care to 2.8% more Black Medicare beneficiaries than Black NPs in states that do not grant full practice authority.

The study has important implications for reducing health care access disparities and improving health outcomes for communities of color. Read more about the findings at Patient Engagement HIT.

Montana lawmakers consider occupational licensing overhaul

Montana lawmakers are debating a trio of bills (HB 152, HB 87, and HB 115) aiming to overhaul occupational licensing in the state. In addition to standardizing board processes and application procedures to make licensing easier to administer, the legislation includes provisions intended to make it easier for professionals from other states to get permission to work in Montana.

The legislation is part of Gov. Greg Gianforte’s red-tape relief effort, a sprawling initiative to streamline Montana’s code book and improve governance efficiency in the state. Out of 159 red-tape relief bills – which amount to 1,259 pages of legislation – more than three-quarters have passed an initial committee vote, and more than half have also cleared either the House or Senate as of Jan. 20.

The three occupational licensing bills were heard by the House Business and Labor Committee on Jan. 18 and 19. Advocates, including officials at the Montana Department of Labor & Industry and Lt. Gov. Kristin Juras, told lawmakers that standardizing the rules that apply to different licensing boards could help address workforce shortages by making it faster for people to get to work.

But several professionals, organized labor groups, and industry associations expressed concerns about the changes. For example, Montana Medical Association CEO Jean Branscum told lawmakers she worried changes that shift more administrative authority into the labor department would erode the authority of the Montana Board of Medical Examiners.

Officials from the Gianforte administration said they will work with the bills’ sponsor, Billings Republican Rep. Bill Mercer, and other lawmakers to include amendments that address many of the concerns raised. Read more from the Montana Free Press.

Wales to introduce UK-first mandatory national licensing scheme for special procedures such as tattoos

Wales is set to become the first U.K. nation to introduce a mandatory national licensing scheme for tattoo artists and those working in body piercing, semi-permanent make-up, acupuncture, and electrolysis. The plan – which will impact an estimated 3,516 practitioners and 1,868 premises – aims to reduce infections and eliminate poor working practices.

In a press release announcing the new scheme, Chief Medical Officer Frank Atherton explained that compulsory licensing will ensure that both clients and practitioners are adequately protected. “I am very pleased that these impending changes have been widely welcomed by practitioners in Wales, with many already volunteering to meet the new standards,” he said.

The pass rate for those practitioners who have so far voluntarily complied with the new standards by undertaking the Level 2 Award in Infection Prevention and Control is 95%. The release also noted that the government is currently undergoing a 12-week consultation to seek the views of all stakeholders, including practitioners, local authorities, and the public.

More news:

• According to Senate Majority Leader David Hogue, North Dakota lawmakers are making progress on their priority of workforce development with the creation of a new standing committee that will consider legislation meant to address workforce shortages, which will touch on various issues including professional licensing.
• Minnesota’s chief administrative law judge signed off on several rule changes proposed by the Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training regarding screening, selection, education, and licensing of police officers. Among other changes, the proposed rules would bar applicants from being involved in extremist or hate groups and disqualify law enforcement applicants and discipline licensed police officers for discriminatory attitudes or conduct.
• The British Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and Architects Registration Board (ARB) announced changes to the U.K.’s Architects Act 1997 that will end the reciprocal acceptance of qualifications for EU-trained architects that has been observed since it was first established by Parliament.
• A recent medical research study found that OpenAI’s ChatGPT “performed at or near the passing threshold” on the United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE), suggesting that the chatbot may have the potential to assist with medical education, and potentially, clinical decision-making. In addition, Professor Christian Terwiesch from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business found that the chatbot “would have received a B to B- grade” on the final exam of a typical MBA core course.

Also noteworthy:

• Luring out-of-state professionals is just the first step in solving Montana’s health worker shortage (KHN)
• Local governments still have questions as cyber grants inch forward (State Scoop)
• After FTX: How Congress is gearing up to regulate crypto (CoinDesk)

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.