Last year, MLO published a summary of existing and pending state legislation on minimum training standards, licensure, and mandatory certification of blood-specimen collection personnel ("States fail to follow California's lead in certifying phlebotomists," July 2008, pp. 40-42). At the time, reports indicated that bills languished in the legislative bodies of Massachusetts and Missouri. No other bills in any state were pending. Because laboratory licensure is a topic of perennial interest to MLO readers, an update at this time seems to be in order.

The Bay State's "Dracula Bill"

The Massachusetts bill was to create a board of registration of phlebotomists that would set forth licensure requirements, standards, fees, continuing education, and professional and ethical conduct for all healthcare professionals who draw blood specimens.

In Massachusetts, HR312--known informally as the "Dracula Bill"--provides a Board of Registry for phlebotomists that:

* establishes licensure requirements;

* determines the qualifications of applicants to be licensed, and

* grants licenses to those...