Maine 2025-2026 Regular Session

Maine House Bill LD1688 Latest Draft

Bill / Introduced Version

                            Printed on recycled paper
132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST SPECIAL SESSION-2025
Legislative Document	No. 1688H.P. 1123House of Representatives, April 17, 2025
An Act to Encourage Continuing Education Relating to Certain 
Infection-associated Chronic Conditions for Physicians and Nurses
Reference to the Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services 
suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative RANA of Bangor.
Cosponsored by Senator STEWART of Aroostook and
Representatives: JULIA of Waterville, MATHIESON of Kittery, ROEDER of Bangor, 
Senators: BAILEY of York, INGWERSEN of York. Page 1 - 132LR2135(01)
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2 is enacted to read:
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4 The board shall encourage a licensee or applicant for relicensure under this chapter to 
5 attend continuing education, including continuing education required for licensure of an 
6 advanced practice registered nurse, relating to infection-associated chronic conditions, 
7 including long COVID, chronic Lyme disease, myalgic encephalomyelitis, postural 
8 orthostatic tachycardia syndrome and dysautonomia.  For purposes of this section, "long 
9 COVID" means a group of health problems related to and persisting or developing after an 
10 initial period of COVID-19 infection that may be debilitating and may last from several 
11 weeks to a period of years and "COVID-19" has the same meaning as in Title 24-A, section 
12 4320-P, subsection 1, paragraph A.
13 as amended by PL 2017, c. 189, ยง1, is further amended 
14 by enacting at the end a new paragraph to read:
15 The board shall encourage a licensee or applicant for relicensure to attend continuing 
16 education approved by the board under this section relating to infection-associated chronic 
17 conditions, including long COVID, chronic Lyme disease, myalgic encephalomyelitis, 
18 postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome and dysautonomia. For purposes of this 
19 paragraph, "long COVID" means a group of health problems related to and persisting or 
20 developing after an initial period of COVID-19 infection that may be debilitating and may 
21 last from several weeks to a period of years and "COVID-19" has the same meaning as in 
22 Title 24-A, section 4320-P, subsection 1, paragraph A.
23 is enacted to read:
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26 under subsection 2, paragraph B, relating to infection-associated chronic conditions, 
27 including long COVID, chronic Lyme disease, myalgic encephalomyelitis, postural 
28 orthostatic tachycardia syndrome and dysautonomia.  For purposes of this subsection, "long 
29 COVID" means a group of health problems related to and persisting or developing after an 
30 initial period of COVID-19 infection that may be debilitating and may last from several 
31 weeks to a period of years and "COVID-19" has the same meaning as in Title 24-A, section 
32 4320-P, subsection 1, paragraph A.
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34 This bill requires the Board of Osteopathic Licensure, the Board of Licensure in 
35 Medicine and the State Board of Nursing to encourage licensees and applicants for 
36 relicensure to attend continuing education relating to infection-associated chronic 
37 conditions, including long COVID, chronic Lyme disease, myalgic encephalomyelitis, 
38 postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome and dysautonomia.
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