2015 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 20 - Professional and Occupational Licensing, Certification, Title Protection and Registration. Examining Boards
Chapter 381a - Respiratory Care Practitioners
Section 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 ninety 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 ninety 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 ninety 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 ninety 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 one hundred five 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; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-3, S. 209; P.A. 15-244, S. 119; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 15-5, S. 474.)

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; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-3 increased fees from $150 to $190 in Subsecs. (a) to (d) and from $50 to $100 in Subsec. (f); P.A. 15-244 amended Subsec. (f) to increase renewal fee from $100 to $105, effective July 1, 2015; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 15-5 changed effective date of P.A. 15-244, S. 119, from July 1, 2015, to October 1, 2015, and applicable to the renewal of a license or certificate that expires on or after that date, effective June 30, 2015.