TEMPORARY HEALTH PROFESSION LICENSE                                               S.B. 741 (S-1):

                                                                                                    SUMMARY OF BILL

                                                                                      REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE

Senate Bill 741 (Substitute S-1 as reported by the Committee of the Whole)

Sponsor:  Senator Tonya Schuitmaker

Committee:  Veterans, Military Affairs and Homeland Security

CONTENT

The bill would amend the Public Health Code to require a health profession licensing board to grant a temporary license to a health professional licensed in another jurisdiction who was married to an active duty member of the armed forces assigned to a duty station in Michigan.

Specifically, beginning 90 days after the bill's effective date, a licensing board would have to grant a temporary license to an applicant who provided proof acceptable to the board of all of the following:

-- He or she was married to a member of the armed forces of the United States who was on active duty.

-- He or she held a current license or registration in good standing in the appropriate health profession, issued by an equivalent licensing department, board, or authority in another state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, another U.S. territory or protectorate, or a foreign country.

-- His or her spouse was assigned to a duty station in Michigan and the individual also was assigned to a duty station in Michigan under his or her spouse's official active duty military orders.

The applicant also would have to comply with fingerprinting requirements for initial licensure or registration in a health profession, so that a criminal history check could be conducted in the manner required by the Code.

A temporary license issued under the bill would be valid for six months and could be renewed for one additional six-month term if the board determined that the temporary licensee continued to meet the requirements described above and needed additional time to fulfill the requirements for initial licensure.

MCL 333.16181                                                       Legislative Analyst:  Patrick Affholter

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would have a minor, but likely negative, fiscal impact on the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) and no fiscal impact on local units of government.  Under the bill, LARA would have to establish a program that would grant temporary health profession licenses, and would incur some indeterminate costs in doing so.  Additionally, it is not clear that LARA would be able to charge a fee for temporary licenses, so the program would result in some likely minor costs on an annual basis.  The costs of the bill would be borne by existing Department resources, likely the Health Professions Regulatory Fund.

Date Completed:  5-2-14                                                       Fiscal Analyst:  Josh Sefton

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.