Alabama House Bill HB345

Alabama 2023 Regular Session

• Introduced: 4/20/23
• Refer: 4/20/23

Caption

Relating to occupational licensing of health professionals; to establish the Health Professional Scope of Practice Review Commission to review and make recommendations to the Legislature regarding legislation revising or creating scope of practice laws for health professions; to provide for membership of the commission; and to provide guidelines for the commission to determine if scope of practice legislation is appropriate.

Impact

The bill aims to create a system where legislative proposals relating to the scope of practice must be reviewed for their potential effectiveness and necessity before being considered by the legislature. This could potentially impact numerous health professions by implementing a more rigorous framework for how their scopes of practice are defined and revised. It also reflects a growing trend in legislative bodies to ensure that health care regulations align with current medical practices and public needs.

Summary

House Bill 345 establishes the Health Professional Scope of Practice Review Commission, tasked with reviewing legislative proposals that aim to revise or create scope of practice laws for health professions. The commission will make recommendations to the legislature regarding whether these proposals should proceed. This initiative seeks to standardize the evaluation process for health professions that may be unregulated or whose scope of practice may need revision, thereby enhancing public health protection through structured oversight.

Contention

Notably, the bill requires that any proposal for expanding the scope of practice must provide evidence of its effectiveness, and the commission's recommendations, while influential, will not obligate the legislature to accept them. There are concerns from various health professional groups about how this could limit flexibility and responsiveness to evolving healthcare needs. Additionally, the requirement for continuing education is positioned as a way to assure the competency of practitioners, but can also raise concerns about added burdens on health providers.