2020 Legislative Updates, Week 3

27 Jan 2020 Legislative Updates, Week 3

HB 1006: Tobacco, E-Liquids, and Vaping Bill
HB 1006 successfully passed out of the House on this week (84-14) and will continue on to the Senate during the second half of session. The bill, originally brought by Representative Cindy Kirchhofer (R-Beech Grove), now has over thirty co-authors and will be sponsored by Senator Ed Charbonneau (R-Valparaiso) in the Senate. HB 1006 raises the legal age to purchase tobacco from 18 to 21, triples the monetary penalties for retailers selling people who are underage, and revokes a tobacco license from repeat retail offenders. In addition, the bill prohibits a tobacco business from locating within 1,000 feet of a school (after June 30, 2020), and requires a seller of tobacco products to verify the age of a purchaser who appears to be less than 30 years of age. Read the full bill

HB 1067: Dental Hygienists
As mentioned last week, HB 1067 was unanimously voted out of the House and will continue on to the Senate for the second half of session.  This dental hygienist “cleanup” bill clarifies under what circumstances hygienists and assistants can administer Nitrous Oxide, restates restrictions on use of a laser by a dental hygienist, and provides that a dental hygienist may administer topical local dental anesthetics, other than nitrous oxide or similar analgesics, without supervision. Senator Jean Leising (R-Oldenburg) will sponsor the bill during the second half of session (with additional co-sponsors pending), and we will continue to update you on its progress. Read the full bill

HB 1008: Occupational Licensure Reciprocity
HB 1008 seeks to eliminate barriers to licensure for regulated professions, including dentistry. The bill, introduced by Representative Martin Carbaugh (R-Fort Wayne), would require a board to issue a license to an individual who: (1) is licensed in another state or jurisdiction in the regulated occupation; (2) has established residency; (3) has passed a substantially equivalent examination; (4) is and has been in good standing; (5) pays a fee; and (6) completes the licensure application form. The IDA has taken a firm position against this bill, with Ed Popcheff testifying in opposition during the Employment, Labor, and Pension Committee meeting last week. Several other professional groups have expressed concern and dislike, and the bill was recently covered in an Indiana Business Journal (IBJ) article. In yesterday’s second Committee hearing on the bill, Representative Carbaugh expressed a desire to make the bill more palatable to regulated professions, adding an amendment which: (1) replaces the term “reciprocity” with “endorsement;” (2) requires a background check to maintain the endorsement; and (3) ensures that if a professional licensing board has entered into a National Reciprocal or EP Endorsement with more than one state, those existing agreements remain in effect. HB 1008 was voted out of Committee (9-2) and is eligible for a second reading as early as Monday January 27. Representative Carbaugh’s amendment is a good step in the right direction, but the IDA will continue to oppose the bill in favor of CODA accreditation. Read the full bill