The Alaska Legislature passed a bill Friday that would grant temporary permits to nurses with lapsed Alaska licenses.
Sponsored by Representative Mike Prax (R-North Pole), House Bill 237 would grant a six-month nonrenewable temporary permit to nurses with lapsed Alaska licenses looking to reinstate their license.
According to current Alaska statute, the Alaska Board of Nursing issues nonrenewable temporary permits to nurses applying for an Alaska license to practice while their application is processed, but a nurse seeking to reinstate their license in Alaska is not issued a temporary permit.
Prax said in a statement accompanying the bill, “it would make sense to allow both new and returning nurses the opportunity for a temporary permit. The passage of House Bill 237 would help nurses get back to work much faster.”
Dawn Hughes, a licensed nurse in Anchorage, stated in a letter that reinstating her registered nurse license was a “frustrating endeavor” that took over two months.
“With the overwhelming need for nurses in the state of [Alaska], the board would be well served to make the process much more streamlined, especially for returning nurses to obtain their license,” she wrote.
The bill received support from the Alaska Board of Nursing.
Sen. David Wilson (R-Wasilla) said that Alaska is suffering from a nursing shortage and lawmakers must address the topic from every angle to bring health to the state.
The bill passed unanimously in the House of Representatives in March and passed the Senate with 19 “yes” votes Friday morning. Sen. Shelley Hughes was excused absent.
Contact Haley Lehman at 907-459-7575 or by email at hlehman@newsminer.com.
