Existing law provides for the regulation of the licensure and certification of emergency medical services personnel, including ambulance attendants and firefighters, by: (1) in a county whose population is 700,000 or more (currently Clark County), the district board of health; and (2) in all other counties, the State Board of Health. (NRS 450B.060, 450B.160, 450B.180) Existing law also provides for the regulation of the licensure of: (1) naprapaths, music therapists, dieticians, medical laboratory personnel and persons who are engaged in radiation therapy and radiologic imaging by the State Board; and (2) various other health professions by professional licensing boards that are specific to those professions. (chapters 630-637B, 640-640B, 640D-641D, 652 and 653 of NRS) Sections 3-5 of this bill require each agency or licensing board that regulates the licensure or certification of providers of health care to establish a process for prioritizing the review of an application for licensure if the applicant demonstrates that he or she will provide health care primarily in a historically underserved community. Section 1 of this bill defines the term “historically underserved community” for the purpose of provisions relating to emergency medical services, and section 2 of this bill establishes the applicability of that definition.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 450B.020, 450B.160, 450B.180
BDR: 450B.020, 450B.160, 450B.180