GOVERNOR Ralph DLG Torres on Monday signed into law House Bill 22-26, which removes the term limit of the Healthcare Professions Licensing Board members.
Authored by Vice Speaker Blas Jonathan Attao, H.B. 22-26 is now Public Law 22-14. It passed the House on May 28, 2021 and the Senate without amendments on Feb. 3, 2022.
H.B. 22-26 amends Public Law 15-105 or the Health Care Professions Licensing Act of 2007, which limits the board members’ consecutive four-year terms to two. The law also required that “upon the expiration of said terms, successors shall be appointed with like qualifications and in like manner for terms of four years each, and until their successors are appointed and qualified.”
According to the new law, “this limitation has proven to be problematic considering the composition of healthcare professions that make up the board.” Such professions include dentists, physicians and other healthcare professionals.
The requirement hindered the progress of the board because of the relatively small pool of healthcare professionals available and willing to serve and the time it takes to identify, appoint, confirm, and train new appointees, the new law stated.
In removing the term limit, “board members who are willing to serve can be allowed to continue their work, and the [board] can save valuable resources that would otherwise be spent on recruiting and train[ing] new appointees.”
Blas Jonathan Attao
