Senate passes annual Office of Professional Regulation bill expanding licensing rules and authorizing a funding study

The Vermont Senate on voice votes passed H870, the annual bill updating professions and occupations regulated by the Office of Professional Regulation (OPR).

Senator from Washington, reporting the Government Operations committee, said the bill expands OPR’s authority to use civil penalty funds beyond board member education and training so the agency can, for example, offset investigation costs that generate the penalties. He said the committee also widened the definition of unprofessional conduct to include impeding an investigation and added psychologists and naturopathic physicians to the bill as committee amendments.

The measure brings manicurists and aestheticians into the same chapter that regulates barbers and cosmetologists, requiring licenses for those practitioners and licensed shops that pay fees; OPR will adopt sanitary and safety rules. The bill clarifies that permanent‑cosmetics practices and medical procedures (injections, laser medical treatments) remain within the practice of medicine and are excluded from the aesthetics license.

On nursing and osteopathy, the bill updates antiquated language so licensure, examination, endorsement and renewal provisions clearly apply to both registered and practical nurses and permits supervised clinical exemptions for osteopathy students. It allows limited temporary licenses for radiology practitioners and specifies electrology uses of lasers for hair removal only.

A committee amendment directs OPR to conduct a funding study, the senator said, explaining that interstate professional compacts have reduced fee revenue because some practitioners hold licenses in other states while practicing under Vermont law. "OPR is very interested in exploring alternative funding mechanisms for their operations," the senator said.

The committee reported unanimous support in committee (5‑0) on several sections and the Senate’s Finance committee later moved the bill as amended (vote reported 7‑0). The Senate ordered third reading, suspended rules to take the bill through remaining stages, and passed H870 by voice vote. The measure goes into effect upon passage unless otherwise noted in statute.