SECTION 1: Chapter 111 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 229 the following section:

Section 230. (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

“Health care practitioner,” any person licensed or registered under section 2, 16, 45, 51 51 1/2, 74, or 74A of chapter 112, including any intern, resident, fellow or medical who conducts or assists with the performance of surgery.

“Surgical facility," any hospital as defined in section 52 of chapter 111 or any rural hospital as defined in section 52 of chapter 111 or surgical services that are provided in a free standing ambulatory surgery center, whether inpatient or outpatient, conducted for charity or for profit and whether or not subject to section 25C.  "Surgical facility" shall not include dental or private office of a health care practitioner.

“Central Service Technician,” any person who decontaminates, inspects, assembles, packages, and sterilizes reusable medical instruments or devices in a surgical facility.

(b) A surgical facility shall not employ or otherwise retain the services of a central service technician unless such person:

(1) Has successfully passed a nationally accredited central service exam for central service technicians; and holds and maintains one of the following credentials administered by a nationally accredited central service technician credentialing organization: the certified

registered central service technician credential, the certified sterile processing and distribution technician credential or a substantially equivalent credential; or

(2) Provides evidence that the person was employed as a central service technician in a surgical facility on or before December 31, 2015.

(c) A central service technician who does not meet the requirements of paragraph (b)(2) of this section shall have eighteen months from the date of hire to obtain the certified registered central service technician credential or the certified sterile processing and distribution technician.

(d) A person who qualifies to function as a central service technician in a surgical facility under paragraphs (b)(1) and (2) of this section must annually complete ten hours of continuing education credits to remain qualified to function as a central service technician.

(e) Nothing in this section shall prohibit any health care practitioner from performing central service technicians’ tasks or functions if the person is acting within the scope of his or her practice.

(f) The commissioner of the department of public health shall adopt regulations necessary to carry out this act. Such regulations shall be adopted not later than 90 days after the effective date of this act.

SECTION 2. Section 1 shall take effect 180 days after the effective date of this act.