SECTION 1. Chapter 111 of the Massachusetts General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after Section 234 the following section:-

Section 235.

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

“Allied health professional,” shall mean a person who holds and maintains a registration, certification, or license to perform health care services by a state or a nationally accredited credentialing organization.

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

“Health care practitioner,” any person licensed or registered under chapter 111 or 112, including any intern, resident, fellow or medical officer who conducts or assists with the performance of surgery.

“Health care facility,” shall mean 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.  “Health care facility" shall not include dental or private office of a health care practitioner.

(b) A health care 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 health care facility on or before December 31, 2017.

(c) A central service technician who does not meet the requirements of paragraph (b)(2) of this section shall have 18 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 health care facility under paragraphs (b)(1) and (2) of this section must annually complete 10 hours of continuing education credits to remain qualified to function as a central service technician.  The continuing education required under this subsection shall be in area related to the functions of a central service technician.

(e) Nothing in this section shall prohibit the following persons from performing the tasks or functions of a central service technicians:

(1)  A health care practitioner;

(2)  An allied health professional;

(3)  A student or intern performing the functions of a central service technician under the direct supervision of a health care practitioner as part of the student’s or intern’s training or internship.

(f)  A health care facility shall, upon the written request of a central service technician, verify, in writing, the central service technician's dates of employment or the contract period during which the central service technician provided services to the health care facility.

SECTION 2. The commissioner of the Department of Public Health may 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 3. Section 1 shall take effect 180 days after the effective date of this act.