Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

S.B. 15 (2018GS)

Sponsor

Sen. Christensen, A.

Final action

Governor Signed 3/21/2018

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Gary R. Herbert

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• defines terms;
• clarifies the qualifications for licensure for an environmental health scientist and an environmental health scientist-in-training;
• extends the sunset date for the Environmental Health Scientist Act; and
• makes technical changes.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENTIST ACT AMENDMENTS
GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Allen M. Christensen
House Sponsor: 
Stewart E. Barlow
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill amends the Environmental Health Scientist Act.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
▸ defines terms;
▸ clarifies the qualifications for licensure for an environmental health scientist and an
environmental health scientist-in-training;
▸ extends the sunset date for the Environmental Health Scientist Act; and
▸ makes technical changes.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
58-20a-102
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 1997, Chapter 10
58-20a-302
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2009, Chapter 183
63I-1-258
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2017, Chapters 177, 207, and 237
REPEALS:
58-20a-306
, as enacted by Laws of Utah 1995, Chapter 95
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 
58-20a-102
 is amended to read:
58-20a-102.
Definitions.
In addition to the definitions in Section 
58-1-102
, as used in this chapter:
(1) "Accredited program" means a degree-offering program from:
(a) an institution, college, or university that is accredited by the Department of
Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation; or
(b) a non-accredited institution, college, or university that offers education equivalent
to Department of Education-accredited programs, as determined by a third party selected by the
Board.
[
(1)
] 
(2)
 "Board" means the Environmental Health Scientist Board created in Section
58-20a-201
.
[
(2)
] 
(3)
 "General supervision" means the supervising environmental health scientist is
available for immediate voice communication with the person he or she is supervising.
[
(3)
] 
(4)
 "Practice of environmental health science" means:
(a) the enforcement of, the issuance of permits required by, or the inspection for the
purpose of enforcing state and local public health laws in the following areas:
(i) air quality;
(ii) food quality;
(iii) solid, hazardous, and toxic substances disposal;
(iv) consumer product safety;
(v) housing;
(vi) noise control;
(vii) radiation protection;
(viii) water quality;
(ix) vector control;
(x) drinking water quality;
(xi) milk sanitation;
(xii) rabies control;
(xiii) public health nuisances;
(xiv) indoor clean air regulations;
(xv) institutional and residential sanitation; or
(xvi) recreational facilities sanitation; or
(b) representing oneself in any manner as, or using the titles "environmental health
scientist," "environmental health scientist-in-training," or "registered sanitarian."
[
(4)
] 
(5)
 "Unlawful conduct" is as defined in Section 
58-1-501
.
[
(5)
] 
(6)
 "Unprofessional conduct" is as defined in Sections 
58-1-501
 and 
58-20a-501
and as may be further defined by division rule.
Section 2. Section 
58-20a-302
 is amended to read:
58-20a-302.
Qualifications for licensure.
(1) Except as provided in Subsection (2), an applicant for licensure as an
environmental health scientist shall:
(a) submit an application in a form prescribed by the division;
(b) pay a fee determined by the department under Section 
63J-1-504
;
(c) be of good moral character;
(d) hold
, at a minimum,
 a bachelor's degree from an accredited program in a university
or college, which degree includes completion of specific coursework as defined by rule;
(e) pass an examination as determined by division rule in collaboration with the board;
and
(f) pass the Utah Law and Rules Examination for Environmental Health Scientists
administered by the division.
[
(2) An applicant for licensure who is currently actively engaged in the practice of
environmental health science in Utah on July 1, 1995, and has been practicing in Utah for at
least three consecutive months immediately prior to July 1, 1995, shall:
]
[
(a) submit an application in a form prescribed by the division;
]
[
(b) pay a fee determined by the department under Section 
63J-1-504
;
]
[
(c) be of good moral character;
]
[
(d) hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited program in a university or college,
which degree includes completion of specific coursework as defined by rule;
]
[
(e) pass the Utah Law and Rules Examination for Environmental Health Scientists
administered by the division; and
]
[
(f) submit an affidavit from the applicant's immediate supervisor in the applicant's
employment, attesting to the applicant's competence to practice environmental health science.
]
[
(3)
] 
(2)
 An applicant for licensure as an environmental health scientist-in-training
shall:
(a) submit an application in a form prescribed by the division;
(b) pay a fee determined by the department under Section 
63J-1-504
;
(c) be of good moral character;
(d) hold
, at a minimum,
 a bachelor's degree from an accredited program in a university
or college, which degree includes completion of specific coursework as defined by rule;
(e) pass the Utah Law and Rules Examination for Environmental Health Scientists
administered by the division; and
(f) present evidence acceptable to the division and the board that the applicant, when
licensed, will practice as an environmental health scientist-in-training only under the general
supervision of a supervising environmental health scientist licensed under this chapter.
Section 3. Section 
63I-1-258
 is amended to read:
63I-1-258.
Repeal dates, Title 58.
(1) Title 58, Chapter 13, Health Care Providers Immunity from Liability Act, is
repealed July 1, 2026.
(2) Title 58, Chapter 15, Health Facility Administrator Act, is repealed July 1, 2025.
(3) Title 58, Chapter 20a, Environmental Health Scientist Act, is repealed July 1,
[
] 
.
(4) Section 
58-37-4.3
 is repealed July 1, 2021.
(5) Subsection 
58-37-6
(7)(f)(iii) is repealed July 1, 2022, and the Office of Legislative
Research and General Counsel is authorized to renumber the remaining subsections
accordingly.
(6) Title 58, Chapter 40, Recreational Therapy Practice Act, is repealed July 1, 2023.
(7) Title 58, Chapter 41, Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Licensing Act, is
repealed July 1, 2019.
(8) Title 58, Chapter 42a, Occupational Therapy Practice Act, is repealed July 1, 2025.
(9) Title 58, Chapter 46a, Hearing Instrument Specialist Licensing Act, is repealed July
1, 2023.
(10) Title 58, Chapter 47b, Massage Therapy Practice Act, is repealed July 1, 2024.
(11) Title 58, Chapter 61, Part 7, Behavior Analyst Licensing Act, is repealed July 1,
2026.
(12) Title 58, Chapter 72, Acupuncture Licensing Act, is repealed July 1, 2027.
(13) Title 58, Chapter 86, State Certification of Commercial Interior Designers Act, is
repealed July 1, 2021.
(14) The following sections are repealed on July 1, 2019:
(a) Section 
58-5a-502
;
(b) Section 
58-31b-502.5
;
(c) Section 
58-67-502.5
;
(d) Section 
58-68-502.5
; and
(e) Section 
58-69-502.5
. 
Section 4. 
Repealer.
This bill repeals:
Section 
58-20a-306
,
Holders of license under predecessor law.