SF 51—Cytomegalovirus (CMV) awareness and screening
SF 359—Fetal tissue
SF 458—Psychiatric Practitioner loan repayment program
SF 484—Board of Pharmacy policy bill
HF 232—Death pronouncements by nurses and physician assistants
HF 306—Nurse aid training and testing
HF 544—Definition of Dependent adult abuse
HF 577—Lyme’s Disease Treatment
FLOOR ACTION
SF 51 requires Iowa Department of Public Health to develop and publish information to educate and raise awareness of Cytomegalovirus (CMV) among women who may become pregnant, expectant parents, parents of infants, attending health care providers and others. CMV is a fairly common virus that rarely causes symptoms. However, when pregnant women are infected with CMV, the infection can travel from mother to baby prior to birth, resulting in congenital CMV, or cCMV. The bill also requires screening for CMV if specific circumstances are met.
[3/22: 49-0 (Shipley excused)]
SF 359 creates a new Code section that prohibits an individual from acquiring, providing, receiving, transferring or using fetal tissue in Iowa. The prohibition does not apply to diagnostic or remedial tests; procedures or observations to deter life or health of fetus; actions taken to dispose of the fetal tissue; or for pathological study. A family may donate fetal remains after miscarriage or still birth; allow for pathological and genetic counseling of fetal remains; and grandfathers in all existing cell lines and cultures being used prior to January 1, 2017. This allows researchers to continue their work at the University of Iowa.
[3/22: 43-6 (Bolkcom, Dvorsky, McCoy, Petersen, Taylor “no”; Shipley excused)]
SF 458 creates a psychiatric practitioner loan repayment program. This idea was brought forward by Iowa Association of Community Providers (IACP). It will work in areas that are not considered “shortage” areas and is complementary to other workforce programs at the Iowa Department to Public Health. It will offer up to $25,000 per year for up to four years with the agreement that the psychiatrist practice with a qualified provider in Iowa for at least four consecutive years.
[3/16: 48-0 (Bertrand, Zumbach excused)]
SF 484 is a Board of Pharmacy policy bill that allows creation of a pool of alternate board members; amends the definition of practitioner; makes changes to the program to aid impaired pharmacists, interns or techs; amends the pharmaceutical collection and disposal program; and repeals all provisions regarding the registration and regulation of Internet pharmacy sites because the language is outdated and not needed.
[3/16: 48-0 (Bertrand, Zumbach excused)]
HF 544 is a bill from the Department of Inspections & Appeals. The Department became aware of a gap in their definition of dependent adult abuse. This adds personal degradation to that definition. Personal degradation is an act that is humiliating to another person.
[3/21: 49-0 (Shipley excused)]
HF 577 allows physicians to treat Lyme’s Disease or other tick-borne diseases and grants an exemption from discipline under certain circumstances.
[3/21: 49-0 (Shipley excused)]
COMMITTEE ACTION
HF 232 allows nurses and physician assistants to sign off on pronouncements of death.
[3/22: short form]
HF 306 directs the Department of Human Services to adopt rules to set procedures and policies to allow the Department of Inspections & Appeals to certify curriculums that may be delivered online.
[3/22: short form]