House Committee Hears Three Scope of Practice and Licensing Proposals

March 27, 2025

A bill that would expand optometrists’ scope of practice was the first of several scope of practice proposals heard on March 26 by the House Health Finance and Policy Committee. 

The bill, HF 1011 (Bierman, DFL – Apple Valley), would expand optometrists’ scope of practice to allow them to conduct injections into and around the eyeball. In addition, the bill would allow injections into facial and eye muscles, and would allow optometrists to prescribe very strong and potentially dangerous oral medications, like steroids for 14 days, without physician consultation. 

In a letter to the committee, the MMA joined other medical societies in opposing the bill. The MMA specifically shared concerns with language in the bill authorizing optometrists to administer all forms of drug injections with the exception of sub-tenon, retrobulbar, and intravitreal injections. Opponents shared concerns over the lack of surgical training for optometry. Injections are considered a surgical procedure according to the AMA. 

The legislation was laid over for possible inclusion in a later omnibus bill. 

The committee also heard HF 1010 (Agbaje, DFL – Minneapolis) to recognize the certified midwife (CM) credential in Minnesota and to license CMs under the Minnesota Board of Nursing. Proponents of the bill include the Minnesota Chapter of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), who argued that the bill is needed to help with current workforce shortages. Supporters stated there are not enough certified nurse midwives in the system and the alternate pathway for CMs will help address maternal health demands and ultimately improve outcomes. 

The bill was referred to the Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee. 

The third bill the committee heard was HF 1913 (Mahamoud, DFL – Minneapolis), which creates an alternate pathway to licensure for international medical graduates (IMGs) who have not completed a U.S. residency program. 

The bill allows a path to licensure for an IMG who has practiced as a physician in another country for at least 60 months in the previous 10 years, has ECFMG certification, has passed USMLE Steps 1 and 2, and has an offer of employment to work as a physician under a collaborative agreement. With the bill, the IMG would be granted a provisional license for a period of two years, in which they would be required to practice under the supervision of a licensed physician. Following completion of this limited license, they would be eligible for a full unrestricted license. 

During the two-year provisional license, the licensee has supervision requirements, is required to shadow the collaborating physician for the first four weeks, and requires a minimum of two hours of in-person oversight per week during the two-year period.   

After one year of provisional practice, the collaborating physician must attest to the provisionary license holders’ ability to understand basic federal and state laws regarding the provision of healthcare. They must also understand American medical standards of care and be able to demonstrate mastery of specific services required of a physician, like what a medical resident must show. HF 1913 was laid over for possible inclusion in a future omnibus bill.  

All three of these bills have Senate companions that have been heard in committee and are moving. An omnibus bill with these proposals is expected by the third legislative deadline on April 11.