A local lawmaker is advancing legislation that would maintain some provisions after the COVID-19 disaster declaration has been lifted.
Republican State Senator Scott Hutchinson introduced Senate Bill 671 which would extend some of the waivers and administrative flexibilities for health care professionals for one year following the lifting of the disaster declaration.
The bill also directs the Joint State Government Commission to gather more information about these measures to recommend which should remain in place permanently. Senator Hutchinson explains:
No we are faced with the end of the declared emergency, and we don’t want our healthcare industry to fall off a cliff,” Hutchinson said. “We need predictability of what the rules are going to be.”
This bill has been approved by the Senate Health and Human Services Committee and will next advance to the full Senate for consideration.