Existing law provides for the certification of registered environmental health specialists by the State Department of Public Health, and establishes application, examination, and renewal fees for this certification. Existing law defines the scope of practice for a registered environmental health professional to include, but not be limited to, the prevention of environmental health hazards and the promotion and protection of the public health and the environment in specified areas, including, among others, food protection, housing, and hazardous materials management. Existing law authorizes a local health department to employ a registered environmental health specialist to enforce public health laws, as specified. Existing law authorizes an environmental health specialist trainee to work under the supervision of a registered environmental health specialist for a period not to exceed 3 years.
This bill would extend that period of supervision to instead not exceed 5 years. The bill would include body art and medical waste in the scope of practice of registered environmental health specialists.
Existing law requires an Environmental Health Specialist Registration Committee to be appointed to advise and to make recommendations to the department. Existing law prescribes the membership of the committee, including members with experience as local directors of environmental health, as specified, and the Chief of the Environmental Planning and Local Health Services Branch, who serves as executive officer in a nonvoting role.
This bill would instead make the State Environmental Health Director serve as the executive officer of the committee. The bill would make clarifying technical changes to the terminology used in those and related provisions to distinguish local directors of environmental health from the State Environmental Health Director.