LAWS OF DELAWARE
VOLUME 85
CHAPTER 204
153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY
FORMERLY
SENATE BILL NO. 122
AN ACT TO AMEND TITLES 16 AND 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE PLANNING.
WHEREAS, Delaware’s health care sector is experiencing significant workforce shortages across a variety of occupations, including physicians, nurses, dentists, and behavioral health professionals; and
WHEREAS, Delaware’s demographic changes, including an aging population and increasing rates of chronic disease, are intensifying the demand for health care services and skilled health care professionals in this State; and
WHEREAS, effective workforce planning, policy development, and resource allocation require accurate, comprehensive, and timely data on health care workforce supply, distribution, payer source, and other important information; and
WHEREAS, the current availability and consistency of health care workforce data in Delaware across sectors is inadequate to support evidence-based policymaking and investment; and
WHEREAS, enhanced data collection and analysis will support workforce development initiatives, educational and training program alignment, and targeted strategies to address workforce gaps and disparities; and
WHEREAS, data collection at the time of provider licensure or renewal will help meet the need for improved data in the state without overly burdening providers; and
WHEREAS, the Delaware Health Care Commission’s Health Workforce Subcommittee recommends increasing the health care workforce data collected at the time of licensure renewal.
NOW, THEREFORE:
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:
Section 1. Amend § 123, Title 16 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:
§ 123. Reports from public institutions, Division of Professional Regulation and resorts; penalties.
(c)(1) The Delaware Division of Public Health and the Delaware Health Care Commission shall be are authorized to request and receive licensing data data, (including, but not limited to, including names, addresses, and license type) types, and demographic and employment-related data to the extent that the data is are collected and electronically stored by the Division of Professional Regulation for the purpose purposes of issuing and maintaining professional licenses and supporting health care workforce research and planning under § 8735(y) of Title 29. Data collected for health care workforce research and planning purposes may not include personal data such as home address or personal financial information. by the Division of Professional Regulation. The Delaware Division of Public Health and the Delaware Health Care Commission may share licensing data with their contractors to carry out the purposes of this subsection. Licensing data shall may only be used for the purpose of conducting official state business, which may include any of the following:
a. measuring Measuring and tracking the supply of licensed health care professionals in the State. this State.
b. Identifying and tracking data related to United States Department of Health and Human Services initiatives, including identifying Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), Maternity Care Target Areas (MCTAs), and Medically Underserved Areas and Populations (MUA/Ps), as these terms are defined by the federal Health Resources and Services Administration.
c. Health care workforce research and planning.
d. Understanding issues related to supply, demand, distribution, and use of health care workers.
e. Informing health care workforce policy. The Delaware Division of Public Health and the Delaware Health Care Commission may share licensing data with their contractors to carry out the purpose of this subsection.
(2) The boards affected shall include but not be limited to: include all of the following:
(1) a. Delaware State Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline; Discipline.
(2) b. Delaware State Board of Dentistry and Dental Hygiene; Hygiene.
(3) c. Delaware State Board of Nursing; Nursing.
(4) d. Delaware State Board of Professional Counselors; Board of Mental Health and Chemical Dependency Professionals.
(5) e. Delaware State Board of Examiners of Psychologists; Psychologists.
(6) f. Delaware State Board of Clinical Social Work Examiners; Examiners.
(7) g. Delaware State Board of Podiatry; Podiatry.
(8) h. Delaware State Board of Chiropractic; Chiropractic.
(9) i. Delaware State Board of Occupational Therapy Practice; Practice.
(10) j. Delaware State Board of Examiners in Optometry; Optometry.
(11) k. Delaware State Board of Pharmacy; Pharmacy.
(12) l. Delaware State Examining Board of Physical Therapists and Athletic Trainers; Trainers.
(13) m. Delaware State Board of Examiners of Speech/Language Pathologists, Audiologists Audiologists, and Hearing Aid Dispensers; Dispensers.
(14) n. Delaware State Board of Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators; and Administrators.
(15) o. Delaware State Committee of Dietetics/Nutrition. Board of Dietetics/Nutrition.
p. Delaware State Board of Funeral Services.
q. Delaware State Board of Massage and Bodywork.
r. Delaware State Board of Veterinary Medicine.
(f) Any individual data provided pursuant to this section shall be confidential. No public employee, commission member, or contractor acting on behalf of a state agency or employee of such a contractor may:
(1) Use any data provided pursuant to this section for any purpose other than the statistical, forecasting, workforce research and planning, and program purposes for which the data is are furnished.
(h) The Division of Public Health’s Office of Healthcare Provider Resources shall collaborate with the Delaware Health Care Commission and the Division of Professional Regulation to identify the data the Division of Professional Regulation must collect during the licensing or renewal process for the purposes described in subsection (c) of this section.
Section 2. Amend § 8735, Title 29 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:
§ 8735. Division of Professional Regulation.
(y) The Division shall support health care workforce research and planning by collaborating with relevant licensing boards, commissions, and agencies to identify data pertinent to health care workforce research and planning, and by collecting the identified data from applicants during the licensing or renewal process.
Approved September 3, 2025