Plain English Breakdown
Checked against official source text during the last sync.
AB-481: Rules for Unlicensed Workers in Clinical Laboratories
This law allows unlicensed workers to assist with moderate or high complexity lab tests if they meet federal rules, have a high school diploma, and show their skills under strict supervision.
What This Bill Does
- Allows an unlicensed person to assist in performing moderate or high complexity testing in clinical laboratories.
- Requires the assistant to have a high school diploma or equivalent and meet specified training requirements.
- Requires the assistant to also meet federal CLIA requirements for moderate or high complexity testing.
- Mandates that assistants demonstrate they can perform tasks correctly under direct and constant supervision before starting work.
- Defines 'supervision' as direction, management, and awareness by a physician or licensed person who must be physically present in the lab at all times during duties.
- Requires the laboratory director to choose the supervisor and keep overall responsibility for unlicensed staff.
Who It Names or Affects
- Unlicensed personnel working in clinical laboratories
- Laboratory directors who manage testing operations
- Physicians or licensed persons who supervise lab activities
Terms To Know
- CLIA
- Federal rules from 1988 that set standards for clinical laboratory tests.
- Moderate or high complexity testing
- Lab tests classified by federal law as requiring more skill and oversight than simple tests.
Limits and Unknowns
- The bill does not state when it will officially take effect.
- The text states no reimbursement is required for a specified reason, but the specific reason is not detailed in this summary.