The Current Legislative Landscape
At the time of this publication, legislatures are in full swing in Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Utah. As a reminder, the North Dakota legislature does not convene in even-numbered years per state law. However, legislators convened for a three-day special session in January to consider federal funding received through the Rural Health Transformation program.
Please note that the information in this article was current at the time of publication, but may have subsequently changed.
CARRYOVER BILLS
Separately, another nuance of state law is that bills are being carried over in Iowa, Minnesota, and Nebraska this year. This is meant to save time by not requiring the bill to be reintroduced and oftentimes retains the bill’s committee or floor vote status. Deadlines to determine which bills will carry over are different in each state, however, we know more in these states than we would starting with a clean slate.
WHAT’S CARRYING OVER FROM LAST SESSION?
Iowa’s carryover bills include litigation funding transparency, medication abortion reversal, vaccine exemptions, and discussion around Iowa’s high cancer rates. We are continuing to track discussions around medical cannabis regulation and scope expansion for midwives in Nebraska. Meanwhile, we are not expecting much movement in Minnesota, even with measures carrying over, due to the state’s politically split legislature.
Shifting Federal Guidance Impacting State Policymaking
Copic’s legislative advocacy efforts focus on state level policies across our footprint, and we work in collaboration with our partner organizations, including state medical societies and hospital associations. We focus on initiatives that impact access to quality care, preserving the physician-patient relationship, and maintaining the ability to review and improve care. Most of the policy making that impacts the delivery of care takes place at your state capitol, however, we see that changes in federal guidance are impacting the type of bills that are being introduced at the state level. Below are a few reoccurring topics that are in response to federal changes.
• Immunizations
The Copic Public Affairs team is tracking multiple bills regarding protections for providers who administer immunizations following changes in guidance from the Center for Disease Control and its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
• Medicaid Funding
Copic recognizes that the overall health of our healthcare delivery system depends on funding for services provided, especially for rural areas. We continue to track how states are addressing budget shortfalls and the impacts on access to care.
• Regulatory Reform
In response to cuts in federal funding, many states are exploring regulatory reform as a way to cut down on costs. One example is in Colorado, where we are working with our partners to weigh in with legislators to provide areas where regulations may be creating undue administrative burden on providers.
Did you know?
Artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare settings is a hot topic this year across state legislatures. As of January 30, 2026, The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) estimates that at least 41 states have introduced 247 bills seeking to regulate AI use in healthcare. This is up from 15 bills introduced in 2023 and 168 bills introduced in 2025. The Copic Public Affairs team is engaging in these conversations alongside our partners.
Trending Bill Topics So Far
While it is still very early in the session, there are some trending topics that are popping up across our footprint. We’ve outlined some of the bills that have been introduced on these hot topics. Reach out to our team if you would like more details.
NEW LICENSURE PATHWAYS
International Medical Graduates:
Alternative licensure pathways for internationally trained medical graduates remain a hot topic this year, with bills expected in Colorado and Nebraska.
- Colorado—Licensure Reciprocity. This bill would trigger any board under the oversight of the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, which includes the Medical Board, the ability to have rulemaking authority regarding alternative licensure for internationally trained graduates.
- Nebraska Legislative Bill 1212—Provide Licensure of Internationally Trained Physicians under the Uniform Credentialing Act. This bill establishes a framework for issuing limited and restricted licenses, allowing internationally trained physicians to practice in designated health profession shortage areas.
Anesthesiologist Assistants:
- Iowa Senate File 467—Licensure of Anesthesiologist Assistants. This bill, which is supported by the Iowa Medical Society, would create a new licensed profession under the authority of the state board of medicine. It would allow a physician to delegate certain duties to an assistant.
LITIGATION FINANCING
- Iowa Senate File 586—Regulating Litigation Financing Contracts. This bill focuses on enhancing consumer protection and transparency through new regulations that address consumer and commercial litigation financing. The bill prohibits paying commissions or referral fees, advertising misleading information, and influencing legal claims. The bill also requires litigation funding contracts to be clear and complete, including disclosures about the funded amount and associated fees. Consumers would also be required to disclose any litigation funding contracts to all parties involved in their legal claims and would be presumed discoverable in civil proceedings but not admissible as evidence.
- Utah House Bill 280—Third Party Litigation Funding Amendments. This bill also addresses both consumer and commercial funding agreements, requiring that funding providers register with the state Division of Consumer Protection. The bill includes new disclosure requirements, prohibits attorney referrals, and extends the right of rescission from 5 to 10 days for a consumer funding agreement. Additionally, the bill prohibits foreign litigation financing agreements.
SCOPE OF PRACTICE EXPANSION
The Copic Public Affairs team tracks legislation that is related to scope of practice expansion. The following bills have been introduced so far.
- Colorado House Bill 1042—Dry Needling for Occupational Therapists. This bill authorizes an occupational therapist to perform dry needling if the OT has the knowledge, skill, ability, and competency to perform the act and meets the necessary requirements.
- Nebraska Legislative Bill 914—Eliminate Physician Liability for Negligence of Physician Assistants. This bill seeks to eliminate their responsibility for negligent acts or omissions made by physician assistants under their supervision.
- Nebraska Legislative Bill 936—Provide for the Use of Fluoroscopy by Medical Radiographers in Collaboration with Nurse Practitioners under the Uniform Credentialing Act. Medical radiographers will be permitted to use fluoroscopy in collaboration with nurse practitioners, which is expected to enhance service delivery in healthcare settings, especially in diagnostic imaging.
- Utah Senate Bill 31—Office of Professional Licensure Amendments. Among many changes in scope of practice, this bill expands diagnostic imaging that a physical therapist may order and reduces the number of hours a physician assistant is required to work under a collaborative agreement from 10,000 to 8,000 hours.
NEW GUIDANCE FOR CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES
Medical Marijuana in Healthcare Facilities. Colorado is considering legislation to allow for medical marijuana for terminally ill patients in healthcare facilities.
- Colorado Senate Bill 26-007—Concerning the Use of Medical Marijuana by Terminally Ill Patients in Health Facilities. This bill states that a health facility may allow patients who are terminally ill and who are registered in the state’s program to use it within the health facility, subject to certain parameters.
Psilocybin Licensure and Regulation
- Iowa House File 978—Relating to the Production and Administration of Psilocybin. This bill would create licensure for psilocybin, including regulations that emphasize the importance of continuing education for both providers and therapy providers, ensuring they remain informed about best practices and developments in psilocybin treatment.
Visit Copic’s Healthcare Advocacy page at www.copic.com/healthcare-advocacy for more information on bills we tracked during the legislative session, to sign up for newsletter updates, or to find your elected officials. If you have any questions, please contact Copic’s Director of Public Affairs, Sarah Meirose, at sm******@***ic.com.
The information provided herein does not, and is not intended to constitute legal, medical, or other professional advice; instead, this information is for general informational purposes only. The specifics of each state’s laws and the specifics of each circumstance may impact its accuracy and applicability, therefore, the information should not be relied upon for medical, legal, or financial decisions and you should consult an appropriate professional for specific advice that pertains to your situation.
Article originally published in Copic’s Copiscope 1Q26 newsletter.
