(a) The commissioner may issue an order to temporarily suspend, for a period not to exceed sixty consecutive days, the requirements for licensure, certification or registration, pursuant to chapters 368d, 370, 376, 378, 378a, 381a, 383 to 383c, inclusive, 384d, 385, 395, 400a, 400j and 474, to allow persons who are appropriately licensed, certified or registered in another state or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia, to render temporary assistance within the scope of the profession for which a person is licensed, certified or registered, in managing a public health emergency in this state, declared by the Governor pursuant to section 19a-131a. Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit a person to provide services beyond the scope allowed in the chapter specified in this section that pertains to such person's profession.

(b) Upon the declaration of a civil preparedness emergency pursuant to section 28-9 or a public health emergency pursuant to section 19a-131a, the Commissioner of Public Health may suspend any of the requirements for renewal of any license, as defined in section 4-166, that would otherwise be required to be renewed by the department pursuant to the general statutes or regulations. Any such suspension of the requirements for renewal of a license may extend for the duration of the declared emergency and for up to six months following the date the emergency is declared to be over. Any license not renewed by the department shall not expire during the period of the emergency and during the six-month period following the date that the emergency is declared to be over. Not later than six months from the date the emergency is declared to be over, the commissioner shall reinstate license renewal requirements that had been suspended. Any license, for which the commissioner had suspended license renewal requirements, that is not renewed in the six-month period following the date of the resumption of the license renewal requirements shall expire, unless the commissioner, for good cause shown, extends this period of time. The commissioner may, for good cause shown, grant no more than two ninety-day extensions.

(c) If, pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, the department renews a license on a date other than the customary renewal date, the period of licensure shall not extend beyond the customary renewal date provided pursuant to the general statutes or regulations. At the time of such renewal, the licensee shall be responsible for payment of all license fees to the department, including payment of fees not collected by the department due to the suspension of license renewal requirements in accordance with the provisions of this section.

(d) Upon the declaration of a civil preparedness emergency pursuant to section 28-9 or public health emergency pursuant to section 19a-131a, the Commissioner of Public Health may suspend the requirements concerning any inspection that is otherwise required to be conducted by the department pursuant to the general statutes or regulations. Any such suspension of the requirements for conducting any inspection may extend for the duration of the declared emergency and for up to six months following the date the emergency is declared to be over. Not later than six months from the date the emergency is declared to be over, the department shall conduct any inspection not conducted during the period of the emergency and the subsequent six-month period. Such resumed inspections shall be completed not later than six months from the date that the inspections resumed, unless the commissioner, for good cause shown, extends this period of time. The commissioner may, for good cause shown, grant no more than two such ninety-day extensions.

(e) Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit the Commissioner of Public Health to effectuate a suspension of the department's license renewal and inspection responsibilities due to the declaration of a civil preparedness emergency by the Governor, until such time as the Governor, pursuant to section 28-9, issues an order that modifies or suspends, in whole or in part, any statute, regulation or requirement or part thereof relating to license renewals and inspections by the Department of Public Health and sets forth the reasons therefor.

(P.A. 03-236, S. 11; P.A. 08-134, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 03-236 effective July 9, 2003; P.A. 08-134 redesignated existing provisions as Subsec. (a) and inserted reference to Ch. 474 therein, added Subsecs. (b) and (c) re temporary suspension of license renewal provisions, added Subsec. (d) re temporary suspension of inspection requirements and added Subsec. (e) re commissioner's suspension of license renewal and inspection requirements upon Governor's declaration of civil preparedness emergency.