LICENSING: CONTINUING EDUCATION TRACKING S.B. 554 & 555:
SUMMARY OF INTRODUCED BILL
IN COMMITTEE
Senate Bills 554 and 555 (as introduced 10-8-15)
Sponsor: Senator Tonya Schuitmaker
CONTENT
Senate Bills 554 and 555 would amend the Public Health Code and the Occupational Code, respectively, to allow the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs to enter into an agreement with an entity to provide an electronic tracking system that would provide a record of the continuing education completed by all of the individuals licensed or registered under the Codes.
Article 15 (Occupations) of the Public Health Code and the Occupational Code regulate various occupations that require an individual to have a license or registration to practice. Many of these licenses and registrations require renewal, which is granted if the licensee or registrant meets conditions prescribed by the Department or the board governing the occupation. Generally, one of the conditions for renewal is continuing education as determined by the board or the Department.
The bills would allow the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs to enter into an agreement with an entity that was not an agency of a state or the Federal government to provide an electronic continuing education tracking system that would provide an electronic record of the continuing education courses, classes, or programs completed by all of the individuals who were licensed or registered under Article 15 of the Public Health Code or the Occupational Code.
The bills would require that all continuing education tracking provided by the system accurately reflect the continuing education requirements under the Codes and the rules promulgated under them. Additionally, a confirmation of completion of continuing education requirements generated by the system would be considered verification of completion of those requirements for renewal of a license or registration and for purposes of any audit of licensees or registrants conducted by the Department. The system also would have to provide access to continuing education information about an individual who was licensed or registered under the Codes to the individual, to the appropriate board for the individual's profession, and to the Department.
The Department would have to promulgate any rules it considered appropriate to implement and administer the system.
Each bill would take effect 90 days after the date it was enacted.
Proposed MCL 333.16206 (S.B. 554) Legislative Analyst: Drew Krogulecki
MCL 339.210 (S.B. 555)
FISCAL IMPACT
The bills would have an indeterminate fiscal impact on the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) and no fiscal impact on local units of government. The bills would allow LARA to enter into a contract to provide an electronic continuing education tracking system, but would not require it to do so. If LARA chose to provide such a system, it would incur unknown costs in doing so. Those costs would likely be covered by license fees paid by members of professions regulated by LARA, but other fund sources could be used as well, subject to appropriation.
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.