Sec. 20-162o. Application. Qualifications. Fees. Regulations.
Sec. 20-162o. Application. Qualifications. Fees. Regulations. (a) Each person
seeking licensure as a respiratory care practitioner shall make application on forms
prescribed by the commissioner, pay an application fee of one hundred fifty dollars and
present to the commissioner satisfactory evidence that (1) he has successfully completed
an educational program for respiratory therapists or respiratory therapy technicians
which, at the time of his completion, was accredited by the Committee on Allied Health
Education and Accreditation, or the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health
Education Programs, in cooperation with the Joint Review Committee for Respiratory
Therapy Education, or was recognized by the Joint Review Committee for Respiratory
Therapy Education, (2) he has passed the entry level or advanced practitioner respiratory
care examination administered by the National Board for Respiratory Care, Inc., and
(3) he is currently credentialed by the National Board for Respiratory Care as a certified
respiratory therapy technician or registered respiratory therapist.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the department
may issue a license as a respiratory care practitioner to a person who (1) was credentialed
by the National Board for Respiratory Care as a certified respiratory therapy technician
not later than June 30, 1978, or as a registered respiratory therapist not later than June
30, 1971, and (2) meets the requirements of subdivisions (2) and (3) of subsection (a)
of this section. Each person seeking licensure pursuant to this subsection shall make
application on forms prescribed by the commissioner, pay an application fee of one
hundred fifty dollars and present to the commissioner satisfactory evidence of his credentialing by said board.
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the department
may issue a license as a respiratory care practitioner to a person who (1) has been registered as a respiratory therapist by the Canadian Society of Respiratory Therapists, (2)
has passed the clinical simulation examination of the National Board for Respiratory
Care and (3) is currently credentialed by said board as a registered respiratory therapist.
Each person seeking licensure pursuant to this subsection shall make application on
forms prescribed by the commissioner, pay an application fee of one hundred fifty dollars
and present to the commissioner satisfactory evidence of his credentialing by said society
and said board.
(d) The department may, upon receipt of an application for respiratory care licensure, accompanied by the licensure application fee of one hundred fifty dollars, issue a
temporary permit to a person who has completed an educational program in respiratory
care which satisfies the requirements of subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of this section.
Such temporary permit shall authorize the permittee to practice as a respiratory care
practitioner under the supervision of a person licensed pursuant to this section. Such
practice shall be limited to those settings where the licensed supervisor is physically
present on the premises and is immediately available to render assistance and supervision
as needed, to the permittee. Such temporary permit shall be valid from the date of issuance of same until the date of issuance of the results of the first examination administered
pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of this section, following the permittee's
completion of said educational program in respiratory care. Such permit shall remain
valid for each person who passes said examination until the permittee receives their
license from the department. Such permit shall become void and shall not be reissued
in the event that the permittee fails to pass said examination. No permit shall be issued
to any person who has previously failed said examination or who is the subject of an
unresolved complaint or pending professional disciplinary action. Violation of the restrictions on practice set forth in this section may constitute a basis for denial of licensure
as a respiratory care practitioner.
(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, from July 1,
1995, until July 1, 1996, a person seeking licensure pursuant to this section may present
to the department satisfactory evidence that he has, from July 1, 1980, until July 1, 1995,
practiced as a respiratory care practitioner for at least ten years and has been determined
eligible by the National Board for Respiratory Care, Inc. to sit for the examination
required pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of this section, provided any license
issued pursuant to this subsection shall become void on October 1, 1997, unless the
person has, on or before that date, presented to the department satisfactory evidence
that he has met the requirements of subdivisions (2) and (3) of subsection (a) of this
section.
(f) Licenses shall be renewed annually in accordance with the provisions of section
19a-88. The fee for renewal shall be fifty dollars.
(g) No license shall be issued under this section to any applicant against whom
professional disciplinary action is pending or who is the subject of an unresolved complaint in this or any other state or territory.
(h) The commissioner may adopt regulations in accordance with the provisions of
chapter 54 to administer provisions of sections 20-162n to 20-162q, inclusive.
(P.A. 86-376, S. 2; P.A. 89-251, S. 94, 203; P.A. 94-210, S. 5; P.A. 95-271, S. 30, 40; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 98-1, S. 20, 121.)
History: P.A. 89-251 deleted former Subsec. (c) re commissioner's establishment of fee for certificate and corresponding
reference to such fee in Subsec. (a), relettering Subsec. (d) accordingly and imposed fee of $83; P.A. 94-210 amended
Subsec. (a) to change certification to licensure, to increase the application fee from $83 to $150 and to add new Subdiv.
(1), (2) and (3) requirements, amended Subsec. (b) to delete certificate provisions and add time limits for certificate holders
to become licensed, inserted new Subsecs. (c) to (f), inclusive, re licensure for those registered in Canada, re temporary
license, re annual renewal and re disciplinary action, respectively, relettering former Subsec. (c) as (g); P.A. 95-271 inserted
new Subsec. (e) re eligibility based on prior practice and relettered the former Subsecs. accordingly; June Sp. Sess. P.A.
98-1 made a technical change in Subsec. (d), effective June 24, 1998.