This bill revises the regulations governing recreational therapists and respiratory care practitioners under the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC). It enhances the rulemaking authority of the executive director by introducing new requirements for initial licensure, renewal, and reinstatement of licenses, as well as establishing ethical standards and disciplinary procedures. Key provisions include mandatory criminal history record checks for applicants, which require the submission of a release form and fingerprints, while ensuring the confidentiality of the obtained records. Additionally, the bill aligns the privileged communications between recreational therapists and their clients with those of physicians, thereby safeguarding the confidentiality of these interactions.

For respiratory care practitioners, the bill similarly updates licensing criteria and introduces a requirement for licensees to complete a survey during the renewal process to gather data on the New Hampshire primary care workforce. It also delays the effective date for the new criminal history records check procedures to July 1, 2026, replacing the original effective date of June 20, 2025, while specifying that certain sections will take effect on June 30, 2025, and others on August 22, 2025. The bill allows applicants to work conditionally for up to 90 days while awaiting their criminal history check results, provided they meet specific conditions, and permits military security clearances in lieu of background checks for active Department of Defense personnel.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 326-J:1-a, 326-E:2
As Amended by the House: 326-J:1-a, 326-E:2
As Amended by the Senate: 326-J:1-a, 326-E:2
Version adopted by both bodies: 326-J:1-a, 326-E:2
CHAPTERED FINAL VERSION: 326-J:1-a, 326-E:2