New Hampshire Sonographer Licensure

New Hampshire Senate Bill 330 – Sonographer Licensure

On May 5, 2016 Governor Maggie Hassan quietly signed Senate Bill 330 making New Hampshire the forth U.S. state to enact sonographer licensure (i.e., Oregon, New Mexico, North Dakota). The new law becomes effective on July 1, 2016.

The law creates a seven-member Board of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (to be appointed by Governor Hassan) and will include one sonographer member. The New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification is the agency responsible for the licensure of sonographers (and other medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals). At this time, no staff has yet been assigned to the new Board.

Bill/Statute: http://gencourt.state.nh.us/bill_status/billText.aspx?id=980&txtFormat=html

This licensure will be required of everyone who is performing sonography/medical imaging in the state. The law recognizes that some providers have been working in medical imaging or radiation therapy and may not have obtained certification/credential probably because there was no prior requirement. However, these individuals will need to register with the Board and then these individuals are required to get certified before January 1, 2020.

328-J:22 Grandfather Provision. Persons who have been engaged in the practice of medical imaging or radiation therapy, other than a radiologist assistant, who do not hold a current certification and registration from a certification organization approved by the board may continue to practice in the modality of medical imaging or radiation therapy in which they are currently employed provided that they:

I. Register with the board on or before July 1, 2017.
II. Do not change the scope of their current practice.
III. Complete all continuing education requirements for their area of practice biannually as
prescribed by the board.
IV. Practice only under the supervision of a licensed practitioner, and
V. Obtain a license from the board on or before January 1, 2020.