STATE OF MICHIGAN  
DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS  
LANSING  
GRETCHEN WHITMER  
GOVERNOR  
ORLENE HAWKS  
DIRECTOR  
MICHIGAN BOARD OF RESPIRATORY CARE  
MAY 18, 2021 MEETING  
UNAPPROVED MINUTES  
In accordance with the Open Meetings Act, 1976 PA 267, as amended, the Michigan  
Board of Respiratory Care met on May 18, 2021. The meeting was held via Zoom,  
pursuant to MCL 15.263, 15.263a, and City of Lansing Resolution #2021-081.  
CALL TO ORDER  
Laurie Niemer, MPA, LRT, RRT, Vice Chairperson, Acting Chairperson, called the meeting to  
order at 10:003a.m.  
ROLL CALL  
Members Present: Laurie Niemer, MPA, LRT, RRT, Vice Chairperson,  
Acting Chairperson  
Attended remotely from the city of Clinton Township, Macomb  
Township, Michigan.  
John Byrd, Public Member  
Attended remotely from the city of Marshall, Calhoun County,  
Michigan.  
Michael Dunn, MD  
Attended remotely from the city of Novi, Oakland County,  
Michigan.  
Veena Erinjeri, LRT  
Attended remotely from the city of Flint, Genesee County,  
Michigan.  
Andrea Hanford, RRT-ACCS  
Attended remotely from the city of Livonia, Wayne County,  
Michigan.  
BUREAU OF PROFESSIONAL LICENSING  
611 W. OTTAWA • P.O. BOX 30670 • LANSING, MICHIGAN 48909  
www.michigan.gov/bpl • 517-241-0199  
LARA is an equal opportunity employer/program  
Michigan Board of Respiratory Care  
Meeting Minutes  
May 18, 2021  
Page 2 of 7  
Emily Pokora Zyla, MSHS, RRT  
Attended remotely from the city of Algoma Township, Kent  
County, Michigan.  
Mindy Van Houzen, Public Member  
Attended remotely from the city of Interlochen, Benzie County,  
Michigan.  
Elizabeth Weir, Public Member  
Attended remotely from the city of Troy, Oakland County,  
Michigan.  
Andrew Weirauch, BSRT, RRT-ACCS  
Attended remotely from the city of Ann Arbor, Washtenaw  
County, Michigan.  
Members Absent: Shari Heydenburg, LRT  
Jonathan Vono, RRT, Chairperson  
Staff Present:  
Dena Marks, Senior Policy Analyst, Boards and Committees Section  
Jennifer Shaltry, Senior Analyst, Compliance Section  
Stephanie Wysack, Board Support, Boards and Committees Section  
APPROVAL OF AGENDA  
MOTION by Dunn, seconded by Weir, to approve the agenda as presented.  
A roll call vote was held:  
Yeas: Byrd, Dunn, Erinjeri, Hanford, Pokora Zyla,  
Van Houzen, Weir, Weirauch, Niemer  
Nays: None  
MOTION PREVAILED  
APPROVAL OF MINUTES  
MOTION by Weir, seconded by Byrd, to approve the August 19, 2020 meeting minutes  
as written with the correction of Niemer as the Vice Chairperson, not Heydenburg, under  
Members Absent.  
A roll call vote was held:  
Yeas: Byrd, Dunn, Erinjeri, Hanford, Pokora Zyla,  
Van Houzen, Weir, Weirauch, Niemer  
Nays: None  
MOTION PREVAILED  
Michigan Board of Respiratory Care  
Meeting Minutes  
May 18, 2021  
Page 3 of 7  
MOTION by Byrd, seconded by Weir, to rescind the previous vote to approve the August  
19, 2020 meeting minutes as written with the correction of Niemer as the Vice  
Chairperson, not Heydenburg, under Members Absent.  
A roll call vote was held:  
Yeas: Byrd, Dunn, Erinjeri, Hanford, Pokora Zyla,  
Van Houzen, Weir, Weirauch, Niemer  
Nays: None  
MOTION PREVAILED  
MOTION by Byrd, seconded by Weirauch, to approve the November 4, 2020 meeting  
minutes as written with the correction of Niemer as the Vice Chairperson, not  
Heydenburg, under Members Absent.  
A roll call vote was held:  
Yeas: Byrd, Dunn, Erinjeri, Hanford, Pokora Zyla,  
Van Houzen, Weir, Weirauch, Niemer  
Nays: None  
MOTION PREVAILED  
REGULATORY CONSIDERATIONS  
Petition for Reinstatement – Branden Tylus, RT  
MOTION by Erinjeri, seconded by Byrd to approve the Petition for Reinstatement and  
grant a full license. Petitioner is placed on probation for one year. Terms of probation  
include compliance with the public health code and compliance with the previous final  
order dated November 9, 2018.  
Discussion was held.  
A roll call vote was held:  
Yeas: Byrd, Dunn, Erinjeri, Hanford, Pokora Zyla,  
Van Houzen, Weir, Weirauch, Niemer  
Nays: None  
MOTION PREVAILED  
OLD BUSINESS  
None  
Michigan Board of Respiratory Care  
Meeting Minutes  
May 18, 2021  
Page 4 of 7  
NEW BUSINESS  
Master Resolution  
Marks provided a review of the Board of Respiratory Master Resolution. The Board did  
not make any changes.  
Rules Discussion  
Marks stated that there were only two comments (Attachment #1) received from the public  
hearing.  
MOTION by Byrd, seconded by Weir, to accept the Rules Committee’s recommendations  
regarding the public comments.  
A roll call vote was held:  
Yeas: Byrd, Dunn, Erinjeri, Hanford, Pokora Zyla,  
Van Houzen, Weir, Weirauch, Niemer  
Nays: None  
MOTION PREVAILED  
Marks stated that there was new legislation regarding reciprocity that needed to be  
reviewed for the next rule set. She asked for a motion to open the rules, once the current  
rule set is promulgated, in order to begin working on them as soon as possible.  
MOTION by Pokora Zyla, seconded by Hanford, to open the rules, once the current rule  
set is promulgated.  
A roll call vote was held:  
Yeas: Byrd, Dunn, Erinjeri, Hanford, Pokora Zyla,  
Van Houzen, Weir, Weirauch, Niemer  
Nays: None  
MOTION PREVAILED  
HPRC Appointment  
Marks explained that Carl F. Haas, MLS, LRT, RRT, has retired from practice and  
resigned from the HPRC Committee. She highlighted the requirements of a candidate.  
Marks stated that Board members should have possible candidates email a letter of  
interest and curriculum vitae to the department.  
Michigan Board of Respiratory Care  
Meeting Minutes  
May 18, 2021  
Page 5 of 7  
HPRP Annual Report  
Marks explained what the HPRP program is and provided a brief overview of the HPRP  
program and presented the HPRP Executive Summary: October 1, 2019 through  
September 30, 2020.  
Board Member Resolution  
Marks presented a Resolution to Matthew Anderson, honoring the time he served on the  
Michigan Board of Respiratory Care.  
Elections  
Marks ran the election for Chairperson.  
MOTION by Pokora Zyla, seconded by Byrd, to elect Niemer as Chairperson.  
A roll call vote was held:  
MOTION PREVAILED  
Yeas: Byrd, Dunn, Erinjeri, Hanford, Pokora Zyla,  
Van Houzen, Weir, Weirauch, Niemer  
Nays: None  
MOTION by Niemer, seconded by Byrd, to elect Pokora Zyla as the Vice Chairperson.  
A roll call vote was held:  
Yeas: Byrd, Dunn, Erinjeri, Hanford, Pokora Zyla,  
Van Houzen, Weir, Weirauch, Niemer  
Nays: None  
MOTION PREVAILED  
Committee Assignments  
Niemer made the following committee assignments:  
Disciplinary Subcommittee  
Byrd – Public Chairperson  
Weir – Public  
Erinjeri – Professional  
Hanford – Professional  
Pokora Zyla - Professional  
Van Houzen – Public Alternate  
Dunn – Professional Alternate  
Michigan Board of Respiratory Care  
Meeting Minutes  
May 18, 2021  
Page 6 of 7  
Board Review Panel  
Niemer  
Heydenburg  
Vono  
Rules  
Niemer  
Vono  
Weirauch  
Chair Report  
None  
Department Update  
Marks stated that the next Board Member Training will be held via Zoom on July 13,  
2021. All board members are welcome to attend. She stated that material has been  
uploaded to Egress, under Resources, to provide board members with more information  
on how the Board and Department function.  
Wysack reminded the Board Members to check their state email address regularly as it  
is the source of communication with the Department.  
PUBLIC COMMENT  
None  
ANNOUNCEMENTS  
The next regularly scheduled meeting will be held August 17, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. in the  
Ottawa Building, 611 W. Ottawa Street, Upper Level Conference Room 4, Lansing,  
Michigan.  
ADJOURNMENT  
MOTION by Byrd, seconded by Pokora Zyla, to adjourn the meeting at 11:00 a.m.  
A roll call vote was held:  
MOTION PREVAILED  
Yeas: Byrd, Dunn, Erinjeri, Hanford, Pokora Zyla,  
Van Houzen, Weir, Weirauch, Niemer  
Nays: None  
Michigan Board of Respiratory Care  
Meeting Minutes  
May 18, 2021  
Page 7 of 7  
Minutes approved by the Board on_______________.  
Prepared by:  
Stephanie Wysack, Board Support  
Bureau of Professional Licensing  
May 18, 2021  
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