On January 16, the full Assembly approved several bills supported by WiAHC that attempt to streamline the state occupational licensing process:

• Assembly Bill 90:  A bill allowing a third-party contractor to process occupational credentialing applications for occupational therapists and occupational therapist assistants.  This will help expedite the processing of these applications, as many of them are stuck in a continuing backlog of credential processing at the state Department of Safety and Professional Services.   

• Assembly Bill 143:  This bill would help reduce processing delays for individuals applying for occupational credentials to be occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, advanced practice nurse prescribers, and certain other health care professions by no longer requiring such applicants to take a “statutes and rules” exam.  Instead, such applicants may need to affirm that they have read and understood the statutes and rules that apply to the applicants’ practice.

• Senate Bill 158:  In order to help expedite the occupational credentialing process for new college graduates in the health care field, this bill would require the state Department of Safety and Professional Services to grant preliminary occupational credentials to those who have recently completed the requirements to obtain a health care credential, submitted a license application, and have been engaged by a health care employer.