On Tuesday, May 10, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley signed House Bill 560 (HB 560) and Senate Bill 641 (SB 641) into law. The bills, which have identical language, delay the licensing of sleep technologists until Oct. 1, 2013.

Existing statutory language required that after Oct. 1, 2011, individuals applying for sleep technologist licensure must first complete a CAAHEP program. Currently, there is only one CAAHEP-approved educational program in the state. HB 560 and SB 641 were passed to avoid a significant decrease in the availability of sleep studies in Maryland or having a large pool of unlicensed personnel practicing in spite of the law. The AASM and the American Association of Sleep Technologists (AAST) worked closely with the Maryland Sleep Society (MSS) on this important issue. The AASM and AAST provided written and oral testimony and attended hearings in the Maryland House Committee on Health and Government Operations and the Senate Committee Education, Health and Environmental Affairs.

Find sleep technology policy and statutory language for all 50 U.S. states in the Legislation section of the AASM website.