Bill Summary: HF1898

• Bars health-related licensing boards from issuing or renewing credentials to individuals convicted on or after August 1, 2014, of felony-level criminal sexual conduct offenses, with automatic revocation if a credentialed person is later convicted of such an offense.

• Allows credentialing authorities to establish criteria permitting individuals with criminal sexual conduct convictions to become credentialed only if a rebuttable presumption of unsuitability is used and a minimum of ten years has elapsed since release from incarceration or supervisory jurisdiction.

• Authorizes temporary suspension of professional licenses when licensing boards have probable cause to believe continued practice presents imminent risk of harm, with suspension taking effect upon written notice and a disciplinary hearing scheduled within 60 days.

• Requires health-related licensing boards to contract with a health professionals services program to provide diversion services for regulated persons unable to practice safely due to illness, substance use, or mental/physical/psychological conditions.

• Reorganizes the health professionals services program structure, changing governance from participating boards to a program committee of board executive directors and advisory committee members, and adds stricter reporting requirements for program violations.