HCS/HBs 480, 272, 413 & 609 - This act establishes guidelines for the regulation of occupations and professions not currently regulated by the Division of Professional Registration, as well as guidelines for substantially increasing the scope of practice of currently regulated occupations and professions. The act specifies that the state may not impose a substantial burden on an individual's pursuit of his or her occupation or profession unless there is an important governmental interest for the state to protect the general welfare. If an important governmental interest exists, the regulation adopted by the state must be substantially related to the public interest to be protected. All bill introduced in the General Assembly to regulate an occupation or profession for the first time or to substantially increase the scope of practice must be reviewed according to specific criteria. For any new board or commission charged with regulating or licensing an occupation or profession, the act specifies that those practitioners actively engaged in a newly regulated occupation or profession for at least one year prior to the effective date of the regulatory statute must have a property right in his or her continued legal ability to engage in his or her occupation or profession and specified due process rights. Any refusal of licensure by the board shall be in writing and any practitioner denied licensure shall then have the right to appeal the decision. This act is identical to provisions contained in HCS/SB 125 (2017) and similar to SB 429 (2017), SB 447 (2017), SB 829 (2016), HB 1466 (2016), and HB 634 (2015). JAMIE ANDREWS
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