A bill has been introduced in the North Carolina General Assembly for the licensure of sleep technologists. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) has identified several areas of concern regarding this bill.

On Friday February 23, 2007, the North Carolina Respiratory Care Board (NCRCB) held an open meeting to hear comments regarding this proposed legislation. There were close to 100 individuals in attendance, including Board of Directors member Dr. Susie Esther who aptly represented the position of the AASM.

Approximately two-thirds of those in attendance opposed the bill. By the close of the meeting, the general consensus of the entire group was that there are many problems with the bill as written.

The AASM will continue to monitor the status of this bill and will work closely with all interested parties to support legislation more favorable to sleep technologists and the field of sleep medicine. Please check the AASM Web site for future updates.