Third-party processing of applications for occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants and granting rulemaking authority. (FE)

What it would have done

Summary by the Legislative Reference Bureau, the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

This bill requires the Department of Safety and Professional Services to contract with a third-party entity to receive applications for licensure as an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant, to collect and retain application fees, to determine whether an applicant has an arrest or conviction record, and to determine whether the applicant has met all other requirements for licensure. If the third-party entity determines that an applicant meets all of the requirements for licensure, the bill requires the third-party entity to inform the Occupational Therapy Affiliated Credentialing Board of its determination within 10 days from the day that the determination is made. The bill then requires the Occupational Therapy Affiliated Credentialing Board to promptly issue a license as an occupational therapist or an occupational therapy assistant to any applicant that the third-party entity determined was eligible under the bill. The bill provides a similar third-party process for applicants for licensure for a limited period to practice occupational therapy in association with an occupational therapist or for licensure for a limited period to assist in the practice of occupational therapy under the supervision of an occupational therapist.

This bill allows any third-party entity contracted under the bill to set and periodically update the required fee for applications for licensure described under the bill. At least 60 days before any fee change goes into effect, the bill requires the third-party entity to submit a request to change the fee to the Joint Committee on Finance along with the third-party entity's current operating budget and an estimation of the change in total fees to be received by the third-party entity if the fee change were to go into effect. The bill allows the Joint Committee on Finance to hold a hearing on any requested fee change. If the Joint Committee on Finance holds a hearing on a requested fee change, the bill requires the third-party entity to adopt any fee determined by the joint committee. Further, if the Joint Committee on Finance determines at any time that the third-party entity has a budget surplus that is greater than 10 percent of the amount of fees that the third-party entity receives in a year, the joint committee may order the third-party entity to lower the fee to a fee determined by the joint committee.

Who's behind it

4 senators are its authors⁠. All 4 are Republicans.

20 more lawmakers signed on in support⁠.

What it would cost

State agencies filed a cost estimate. Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.

• Fiscal Estimate From DSPS