Modifying certain requirements for various public health occupationsARTICLE 1 � SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY, AUDIOLOGY, AND OCCUPATIONAL +THERAPYModifying certain provisions regulating speech language pathologists +and audiologists; expanding the exemption from regulation of the practice+ of speech language pathology or audiology for school personnel licensed by the +board of teaching to paraprofessionals assisting the school personnel; +modifying the definitions of practice of audiology and speech language pathology +and defining speech language pathology assistant for regulation purposes; +clarifying the status of doctoral externship candidates; imposing a supervised +practice requirement for licensure after lapse of licensure status; regulating+ speech language pathology assistants, providing for the delegation of duties+ and specifying certain supervision and client notice requirements; +modifying certain continuing education requirements for speech language +pathologists and audiologists; expanding grounds for disciplinary action to failure to+ comply with speech language pathology assistants supervision requirements +and duties of the speech language pathologist and audiologist advisory council +to advising the commissioner of health on the delegation of duties to and the +training required for the assistants; defining limited license for +occupational therapy licensure purposes; clarifying the licensing exemption for persons +performing services in the state for a limited period of time; requiring notice +to the commissioner of health of change of employment; modifying certain +continuing education requirements relating to contact hours; providing for the +renewal of certain professional or trade licenses or certificates by members of +the national guard or other military reserves ordered to active military +service without payment of a fee ARTICLE 2 � PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTSEliminating a certain qualification for registration as a physician +assistant relating to delegation of prescribing authority; expanding the +authority of physician assistants to delegated radiography procedures; requiring +completion and submission to the board of medical practice of the physician and +physician agreement before practicing as a physician assistant; qualifying +certain additional individuals for registration by the board; registration as+ a physician assistant to be provisional for a certain period of time ARTICLE 3 � ACUPUNCTURISTS Defining NCCAOM certification relating to acupuncture or oriental +medicine; expanding the scope of acupuncture practice to oriental massage; +repealing an obsolete provision relating to licensure by equivalency during the +transitional period ARTICLE 4 � BOARD OF NURSINGModifying certain licensure and certification requirements for the +practice of nursing; requiring examination and reexamination fees to be +determined by law; modifying requirements for licensure by examination and for the +issuance of temporary permits to certain foreign applicants for licensure by +examination; imposing penalties for advanced practice registered nurses practicing+ in certain specialties without current certification or waiver or +failing to notify the board of nursing of current certification, providing for calculation; appropriating money to the board for requirements +implementation purposes ARTICLE 5 � BOARD OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND THERAPYModifying certain provisions regulating the board of behavioral +health and therapy; eliminating the requirements for the board to establish +procedures to determine compliance of licensed professional counselors with board +rules and to establish regulations relating to treatment for impaired +practitioners; modifying certain general requirements for licensure as a LPC; +establishing a fee schedule; modifying certain continuing education requirements for+ license renewal purposes; expanding grounds for disciplinary action by the +board to certain sexual conduct; authorizing the board to refer licensees to +the health professionals services program; requiring applicant or licensee +cooperation in investigations; providing immunity from liability for reporting +violations or alleged violations and for participation in investigations; delaying +the repeal of the office of mental health practice; requiring the commissioner +of health in consultation with the executive directors of the health related +licensing boards to develop a transition plan to transfer the authority for +licensing alcohol and drug counselors from the commissioner to the board ARTICLE 6 � ALCOHOL AND DRUG COUNSELORSModifying certain provisions providing for the licensure of alcohol +and drug counselors; providing for the issuance of temporary permits to +applicants for renewal of lapsed licenses; defining cultural diversity training for +continuing education requirements purposes; limiting the number of clock hours +allowed for teaching course work; temporarily exempting individuals providing +integrated dual diagnosis treatment in adult mental health rehabilitative +programs certified by the department of human services from licensing +requirements; expanding the transition period for licensure to alcohol and drug +counselors employed by school districts; clarifying certain fee requirements ARTICLE 7 � BOARD OF DENTISTRY Modifying and clarifying certain requirements for the licensing of +persons practicing dentistry; requiring applicants for licensure as a dentist+ to take the examination before applying for licensure; modifying certain +requirements for licensure as a specialty dentist or dental hygienist and for +registration as a dental assistant; modifying certain conditions for guest +licensure, specifying a maximum nonrefundable guest license fee; modifying the requirements for licensure by credentials; eliminating certain +license certificate display requirements; authorizing the board to add +additional remedies for licensure or registration deficiencies; requiring the +board of dentistry in consultation with certain professional dentistry +associations to establish a regulatory system for dental assistants recognizing the +different degrees of practice within the profession and to make recommendations+ to the legislature by a certain date on requiring proof of malpractice +insurance relating to the practice of dentistry or a self insurance alternative+ as a condition of licensure to practice dentistry ARTICLE 8 � PODIATRIC MEDICINEClarifying the definition of the practice of podiatric medicine and +clarifying certain licensing requirements for podiatrists relating to passing examinations, applicants licensed in other states, grounds for +disciplinary action relating to supervision and certain reporting requirements; +repealing certain rules relating to examinations, personal appearance and +disciplineARTICLE 9 � APPLICATION FOR DESIGNATION OF AN ESSENTIAL COMMUNITY +PROVIDER Modifying certain conditions for application by health care providers+ for designation as essential community providers for health plan coverage+ purposes ARTICLE 10 � EDUCATION AND PRECAUTIONS REGARDING VACCINESRequiring the commissioner of health to continue the educational +campaign to health care providers and hospitals on vaccine safety including +information for school children on the vaccine adverse events reporting system, the +federal vaccine information statements (VIS) and medical precautions and contraindications to immunizations, to encourage providers to provide+ vaccine information statements at multiple visits and in anticipation of +subsequent immunizations, to use existing screening for immunization precautions+ and contraindication materials and make proper use of VAERS and to use +thimerosal free vaccines and to develop and make available patient education +materials on immunizations; specifying certain additional commissioner +consultation requirements ARTICLE 11 � MISCELLANEOUS Authorizing the governor to request health related licensing boards +or the emergency medical services (EMS) regulatory board to review the +performance of executive directors of the boards, subjecting the executive directors+ of the boards of medical practice, nursing, social work and behavioral +health and therapy to executive director review procedures; extending the +expiration of the emergency health powers act; requiring the commissioner of health+ to prepare a plan for the development and implementation of a statewide +public health data management system in cooperation and consultation with representatives of local public health departments, specifying +certain plan content requirements and requiring a report to the legislature by a +certain date(Ch. 279, 2004)