TEMPORARY HEALTH PROFESSION LICENSE S.B. 741:
SUMMARY AS ENACTED
Senate Bill 741 (as enacted) PUBLIC ACT 148 of 2014
Sponsor: Senator Tonya Schuitmaker
Senate Committee: Veterans, Military Affairs and Homeland Security
House Committee: Military and Veterans Affairs
CONTENT
The bill amended the Public Health Code to require a health profession licensing board to grant a temporary license to a health professional licensed in good standing in another jurisdiction who is married to an active duty member of the armed forces assigned to a duty station in Michigan.
The bill took effect on June 11, 2014.
Generally, the Code allows a health profession licensing board to grant a nonrenewable, temporary license to an applicant who has completed all requirements for licensure except for examination or other required evaluation procedure. It also allows the board of nursing to grant a nonrenewable, temporary license to an applicant who is licensed as a registered professional nurse by an equivalent licensing board or authority in another state or Canada.
Beginning 90 days after the bill's effective date, a licensing board must grant a temporary license to an applicant who provides proof acceptable to the board of all of the following:
-- He or she is married to a member of the armed forces of the United States who is on active duty.
-- He or she holds a current license 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 is assigned to a duty station in Michigan and the applicant also is assigned to a duty station in Michigan under his or her spouse's permanent change of station orders.
In addition, the applicant must comply with fingerprinting requirements for initial licensure or registration in a health profession, so that a criminal history check may be conducted in the manner required by the Code.
A temporary license issued under the bill will be valid for six months and may be renewed for one additional six-month term if the board determines that the temporary licensee continues to meet the requirements described above and needs additional time to fulfill the requirements for initial licensure under the Code.
Under the bill, "armed forces" means that term as defined in the Veteran Right to Employment Services Act. (That Act defines "armed forces" as the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, other military force designated by Congress as part of the armed forces of the United States.)
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill will 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 will have to establish a program to grant temporary health profession licenses, and will incur some indeterminate costs in doing so. Additionally, it is not clear that LARA will be able to charge a fee for temporary licenses, so the program will result in some likely minor costs on an annual basis. The costs of the bill will be borne by existing Department resources, likely the Health Professions Regulatory Fund.
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.