Bill Text: NJ S975 | 2016-2017 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires State Board of Medical Examiners to conduct international criminal history background checks and check employer references for licensees.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2017-12-18 - Reported out of Assembly Committee, 2nd Reading [S975 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2016-S975-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator LORETTA WEINBERG
District 37 (Bergen)
SYNOPSIS
Requires State Board of Medical Examiners to conduct international criminal history background checks and check employer references for licensees.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning licensure by the State Board of Medical Examiners and supplementing Chapter 9 of Title 45 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. In addition to the requirements of section 2 of P.L.2002, c.104 (C.45:1-29), the State Board of Medical Examiners shall not issue or renew a license to any applicant for licensure unless the board first determines, consistent with section 8 of P.L.1978, c.73 (C.45:1-21) and any other applicable law or regulation, that no criminal history record information exists on file with the law enforcement authorities of any foreign country in which the applicant has resided, unless the board determines that it cannot obtain reliable criminal history records from the foreign country.
2. When applying for initial licensure by the State Board of Medical Examiners, an applicant shall identify and provide contact information for any employers in the medical or health care fields for whom the applicant has worked in the previous ten years. The board shall not issue an initial license to an applicant unless the board first contacts all of those employers identified by the applicant that the board is able to contact, and determines, consistent with section 8 of P.L.1978, c.73 (C.45:1-21), R.S.45:9-6, and any other applicable law or regulation, that the applicant is of good moral character and is capable of discharging the functions of a licensee in a manner consistent with the public's health, safety, and welfare.
3. The State Board of Medical Examiners, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), shall adopt rules and regulations to effectuate the purposes of this act.
4. This act shall take effect either on the first day of the thirteenth month next following the date of enactment, or on the first day next following the date on which the State Board of Medical Examiners action in advance thereof as shall be necessary for the creates an online licensure application process, whichever occurs first.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the State Board of Medical Examiners to conduct international criminal history background checks and check employer references for licensees.
Specifically, the bill prohibits the board from issuing or renewing a license to any applicant for licensure unless the board first determines that no criminal history record information exists on file with the law enforcement authorities of any foreign country in which the applicant has resided, unless the board determines that it cannot obtain reliable criminal history records from the foreign country.
The bill also requires that, when applying for initial licensure by the State Board of Medical Examiners, an applicant must identify and provide contact information for any employers in the medical or health care fields for whom the applicant has worked in the previous ten years. The board would be prohibited from issuing an initial license to an applicant unless the board first contacts all of those employers identified by the applicant that the board is able to contact, and determines that the applicant is of good moral character and is capable of discharging the functions of a licensee in a manner consistent with the public's health, safety, and welfare.
The bill will become effective on the earlier of (1) the first day of the thirteenth month next following the date of enactment, or (2) on the first day after the State Board of Medical Examiners creates an online licensure application process.
