AN ACT relating to respiratory care.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 314A to allow an advanced practice respiratory therapist employed by a health facility to declare a patient death and sign the provisional report of death; repeal and reenact KRS 314A.010, 314A.110, and 314A.220 to define terms; create a new license category for advanced practice respiratory therapists; deem the practice credential a license instead of a mandatory certificate; replace the term "respiratory care practitioner" with "respiratory therapist" or "advanced practice respiratory therapist"; establish education and training requirements; set procedures for license reinstatement and reactivation; amend KRS 314A.100 to authorize a respiratory therapist to perform services with the prescription of a physician, physician assistant, advanced practice registered nurse, or advanced practice respiratory therapist; describe services an advanced practice respiratory therapist may provide under prospective medical direction, including prescribing legend drugs; amend KRS 314A.112 to establish requirements for a limited student respiratory therapist license; amend KRS 314A.200 to make the Kentucky Board of Respiratory Care's meetings subject to Kentucky Open Meetings and Open Records laws; amend KRS 314A.215 to raise board members' daily pay from $50 to $100; amend KRS 314A.225 to expand avenues for board discipline of licensees; amend KRS 314A.990 to authorize the board to impose a civil penalty of up to $5,000 per violation; amend KRS 164.0401, 216.2920, 216.380, 217.015, 311.646, 314A.105, 314A.115, 314A.205, 314A.230, 353.510, and 405.024 to conform.