SCS/SB 897 - This act creates the Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Quality Assurance Act. Any person administering medical imaging and radiation therapy procedures is required to be licensed by the newly created Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Board of Examiners. Such Board shall be located with the Division of Professional Registration. The act exempts certain health care professionals, such as physicians, dentists, chiropractors, podiatrists, registered nurses and certain qualified persons currently practicing medical imaging and radiation therapy from the licensure requirements.
Certain education and experience requirements are enacted for applicants to be licensed as radiographers, radiation therapists, nuclear medicine technologists and dental radiographers. The act contains a grandfather provision that authorizes persons who have been practicing in three of the past five years to waive the required examination if such person demonstrates competency to the board and either passes a board-approved examination covering fundamental principles of radiographic imaging and safety or undergoes a review of medical facility training. If such persons cannot pass the board-approved examination within three attempts, then the person must submit to an on-site competency evaluation conducted by the board.
Medical facilities, dental facilities, educational institutions and other public and private institutions wishing to offer programs in medical imaging and radiation therapy must meet certain requirements of the Board. The Board is granted additional powers to adopt rules, give examinations, issue temporary licenses, require continuing education as part of the renewal of a license renewal, and to discipline licensees. The act both requires the board in some instances and gives the board discretion in other instances to waive the examination, depending on the certification an applicant may possess.
The Board shall investigate complaints, file charges, hold hearings, render judgements and hear appeals when warranted to seek discipline of a licensee. Further, the Board is granted subpoena power for the appearance of witnesses.
The act creates the "Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Board of Examiners Fund" which shall receive all fees collected by the board. The act provides that none of the licensing requirements will take effect until such time as the board receives a specific appropriation and initial rules have been promulgated.
Any violation of this act shall be a Class A misdemeanor.
This act is similar to SB 1236 (2004), and SCS/SB 64 (2005).
CHRIS HOGERTY