GOVERNOR MOVES TO PREVENT BACKLOG OF LICENSE APPROVALS FOR MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS

LINCOLN- On Thursday, Gov. Ricketts took action to prevent any further backlog of approvals for state health professional licenses. 

This past spring, the Nebraska Legislature passed a bill requiring Nebraska to submit fingerprints of certain health care workers to the FBI for criminal background checks.

However, the FBI has not yet begun processing the fingerprints they've received, instead requiring Nebraska to revise the statute before they start. 

This has restricted several health-care license applicants from being approved, prodding Gov. Ricketts to sign an executive order allowing the Nebraska State Patrol, rather than the FBI, to conduct the background checks. 

The statute is expected to be fixed when the legislature reconvenes in January.

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services stated that the executive order gave their department the power to start processing applications. The Nebraska DHHS was unable to confirm how many applicants had been stuck in limbo. 

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