Legislature(2023 - 2024)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
05/01/2024 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB237 | |
| HB97 | |
| HB29 | |
| HB309 | |
| HB254 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 237 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 97 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 29 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 226 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 309 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 285 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 254 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
HB 237-TEMPORARY PERMIT FOR LAPSED NURSE LICENSE
4:03:40 PM
CHAIR BJORKMAN announced the consideration of HOUSE BILL NO. 237
"An Act relating to temporary permits for nurses with lapsed
licenses."
4:04:02 PM
RILEY NYE, Staff, Representative Mike Prax, Alaska State
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, said HB 237 would provide for
temporary permits for nurses with lapsed licenses. The bill
would amend AS 08.68.210, which is the temporary permits
statute, to allow the Board of Nursing to issue a temporary
permit to a person applying for reinstatement of a lapsed
license, as long as the person meets the same requirements as a
person applying for license by examination. A person with a
lapsed Alaska nursing license met all of Alaska's nursing
license requirements when they first applied. Those seeking
license reinstatements go through the same licensing steps as a
person applying for an Alaska nursing license for the first
time, through the license by examination process as provided by
AS 08.68.210, (b). For this reason, he said, it poses no greater
risk to the public to issue a temporary permit to practice to a
person seeking license reinstatement than it would to issue a
temporary permit to a person applying for an Alaska nursing
license for the first time. The public interest in having more
nurses actively practicing the profession in Alaska is served by
issuing a temporary permit to practice in either case. He noted
there is broad consensus that Alaskans are currently suffering
the consequences of a shortage of actively practicing nurses. He
encouraged the passage of HB 237 as quickly as possible.
4:06:01 PM
CHAIR BJORKMAN invited Ms. Robb to answer questions. He asked
how the process would work [under HB 237] for a nurse with a
lapsed license.
4:06:32 PM
SYLVAN ROBB, Director, Division of Corporations, Business and
Professional Licensing, Department of Commerce, Community and
Economic Development (DCCED), Juneau, Alaska, answered that HB
237 provides a technical fix allowing nurses with lapsed
licenses to obtain a temporary license while awaiting necessary
documentation for permanent reinstatement. She said the process
involves submitting a form, paying a fee, and then gathering and
submitting the remaining required documentation. Once a subset
of the required documentation is received and deemed acceptable
by the board, the nurse can obtain a temporary license and start
working. She noted that obtaining documentation directly from
institutions or employers may not always be a priority, which
can delay the process.
4:07:45 PM
CHAIR BJORKMAN asked whether the renewal process would be
available through an easy to use, online licensing portal
containing the data of previously licensed nurses.
4:08:13 PM
MS. ROBB replied that it was relatively easy. All nursing
applications were available online. She noted there were
requirements to provide documentation of continuing education
and other requirements to ensure they were prepared to practice
safely.
4:08:49 PM
CHAIR BJORKMAN held HB 237 in committee.