02/05/2024 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE

        HB 237-TEMPORARY PERMIT FOR LAPSED NURSE LICENSE                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:44:58 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SUMNER announced  that the next order of  business would be                                                               
HOUSE BILL  NO. 237,  "An Act relating  to temporary  permits for                                                               
nurses with lapsed licenses."                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:45:17 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  PRAX,   as  prime   sponsor,  read   the  sponsor                                                               
statement for HB  237 [included in committee  packet], which read                                                               
as follows [original punctuation provided]:                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     The   problem  this   bill  is   addressing  is   that,                                                                    
     currently,  a nurse  seeking  license reinstatement  in                                                                    
     Alaska  is  not allowed  to  be  issued a  nonrenewable                                                                    
     temporary  permit.   Conversely,  a  nurse   seeking  a                                                                    
     license for  the first time  in Alaska can be  issued a                                                                    
     temporary  permit. It  would make  sense to  allow both                                                                    
     new  and   returning  nurses  the  opportunity   for  a                                                                    
     temporary permit.  The passage of House  Bill 237 would                                                                    
     help nurses get back to work much faster.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
3:47:14 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER  asked whether  the bill should  be passed                                                               
as soon as possible.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX answered yes.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:47:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SUMNER announced that HB 237 was held over.