SF646

Purpose

This bill relates to health-related occupation licensing and aims to reduce and restructure the license application fees for manufacturers and wholesalers of medical gases, by amending the existing fee schedule in Minnesota law.

Main Provisions

• Amends Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 151065, subdivision 1 to update the "Application fees" for licensure and registration across multiple health-related occupations.
• Establishes a comprehensive fee schedule for numerous licensure categories, including pharmacists, pharmacy interns, pharmacy technicians, pharmacies, drug wholesalers, drug manufacturers, medical gas entities, third-party logistics providers, controlled substance researchers, and related professional entities.
• Specifically sets a fee structure for medical gas-related businesses:
  • Drug wholesalers of medical gases: $5,500 for the first facility and $500 for each additional facility.
  • Drug manufacturers of medical gases: $5,500 for the first facility and $500 for each additional facility.
• Lists other license and registration fees for categories such as pharmacist by examination, pharmacist by reciprocity, pharmacy intern, pharmacy technician, drug wholesalers (legend drugs, legend and nonlegend drugs, nonlegend drugs including veterinary), drug manufacturers (nonopiate legend drugs, nonopiate legend and nonlegend drugs, nonlegend or veterinary legend drugs, opiate-containing substances), medical gas dispenser, controlled substance researcher, and pharmacy professional corporation, with various specified amounts.

Changes to Existing Law

• Replaces or updates the current application fee schedule in section 151065, subdivision 1 to reflect new fee amounts and the introduction of a distinct medical gas-related fee structure (first facility vs. additional facilities).
• Applies uniformly to licensure/registration processes across a broad set of health-related occupations, but with particular emphasis on medical gas manufacturers and wholesalers.

Potential Effects and Implications

• For medical gas manufacturers and wholesalers, the bill creates a defined fee structure that could reduce or standardize licensing costs, potentially lowering barriers to entry or ongoing compliance for medical gas activities.
• For other licensed professions affected by the same fee schedule, the bill clarifies and codifies the listed fees, which may impact budgeting for individuals and entities seeking licensure in these fields.
• Regulatory revenue may be affected depending on how the changes compare to current fees and future licensing demand.

Significance

• The bill represents a focused change to licensure costs tied to a specific sector (medical gases) within a broader update to licensure fee schedules.
• It aligns the licensure fee framework for medical gas manufacturers and wholesalers with a standardized first-facility and subsequent-facility structure.

Relevant Terms - Application fees - licensure and registration - Minnesota Statutes 2024 section 151065 - medical gases - drug wholesaler - drug manufacturer - first facility - additional facility - legend drugs - nonlegend drugs - veterinary drugs - opiate-containing controlled substances - controlled substance researcher - third-party logistics provider - pharmacy - pharmacist by examination - pharmacist by reciprocity - pharmacy intern - pharmacy technician - medical gas dispenser - drug wholesaler (legend drugs, legend and nonlegend drugs, nonlegend drugs, veterinary) - pharmacy professional corporation