32-3101. Definitions

In this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:

1. "Certification" means a voluntary process by which a regulatory entity grants recognition to an individual who has met certain prerequisite qualifications specified by that regulatory entity and who may assume or use the word "certified" in a title or designation to perform prescribed health professional tasks.

2. "Grandfather clause" means a provision that is applicable to practitioners who are actively engaged in the regulated health profession before the effective date of a law and that exempts the practitioners from meeting the prerequisite qualifications set forth in the law to perform prescribed occupational tasks.

3. "Health professional group" means any health professional group or organization, any individual or any other interested party that proposes that any health professional group that is not presently regulated be regulated.

4. "Health professions" means professions that are regulated pursuant to chapter 7, 8, 11, 13, 14, 15, 15.1, 16, 17, 18, 19, 19.1, 21, 25, 28, 29, 33, 34, 35, 39 or 41 of this title, title 36, chapter 6, article 7 or title 36, chapter 17.

5. "Inspection" means the periodic examination of practitioners by a state agency in order to ascertain whether the practitioners' occupation is being carried out in a fashion consistent with the public health, safety and welfare.

6. "Licensure" or "license" means an individual, nontransferable authorization to carry on a health activity that would otherwise be unlawful in this state in the absence of the permission and that is based on qualifications that include graduation from an accredited or approved program and acceptable performance on a qualifying examination or a series of examinations.

7. "Practitioner" means an individual who has achieved knowledge and skill by practice and who is actively engaged in a specified health profession.

8. "Public member" means an individual who is not and never has been a member or the spouse of a member of the health profession being regulated and who does not have and never has had a material financial interest in either rendering the health professional service being regulated or an activity directly related to the profession being regulated.

9. "Registration" means the formal notification that, before rendering services, a practitioner must submit to a state agency setting forth the name and address of the practitioner, the location, nature and operation of the health activity to be practiced and, if required by a regulatory entity, a description of the service to be provided.

10. "Regulatory entity" means any board, commission, agency or department of this state that regulates one or more health professions in this state.

11. "State agency" means any department, board, commission or agency of this state.