The Utah Legislature advanced a bill allowing anesthesiologist assistants to work in the state, KSL.com reported Feb. 18.
It awaits the signature of Gov. Spencer Cox to become law.
The legislation, which creates a license for anesthesiologist assistants, prompted debate about whether it would help fill a shortage of licensed people to assist anesthesiologists or create competition for nurse anesthetists, according to the report.
The law would require those who receive the license to graduate from a certified program and pass a certification exam from the National Commission for Certification of Anesthesiologist Assistants.