Healthcare (Healthcare Workforce)

HB 2552 allows temporary exemptions from specific healthcare licensing requirements during declared emergencies, enabling out-of-state or temporarily unlicensed healthcare workers to provide services. It directly affects healthcare workers seeking to practice during crises and patients needing urgent care access. The bill mandates that the state submit an annual report to the legislature detailing how these waivers were implemented and their impact. This creates a structured process for expanding workforce flexibility in emergencies while maintaining accountability.

Mandates reimbursement for services provided by participating registered pharmacists practicing within their scope of practice by private and public health plans in the State beginning January 1, 2026.

Beginning with the 2027-2028 school year, requires each public school in the State, including charter schools, to employ, or retain under contract, at least 1 mental health professional for every 250 students enrolled, subject to certain conditions. Requires the Department of Education to submit a progress report to the Legislature no later than 20 days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2026. Appropriates moneys for the Department of Education to contract for mental health professionals and to establish an unspecified number of fulltime equivalent mental health professional positions within the Department of Education. Declares that the general fund expenditure ceiling is exceeded.