Sec. 20-37. Licensure. Examination. Fees. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 20-37. Licensure. Examination. Fees. No person shall engage in the practice of natureopathy in this state until he has obtained a license. No person shall receive a license until he has passed an examination prescribed by the department with the advice and consent of the board. The examination shall be administered by the Department of Public Health under the supervision of the board. Passing scores shall be established by the department with the consent of the board. Any person desiring to practice natureopathy shall make application to the department, upon such form as it adopts. Applications shall be in writing upon blanks furnished by said department, setting forth such facts concerning the applicant as said department requires and shall be signed by the applicant. Each applicant shall present to said department satisfactory evidence that he graduated from an approved high school, that he has completed a course of study of an academic year consisting of not less than thirty-two weeks' duration, or, if he begins the study of natureopathy after September 1, 1963, not less than sixty-four weeks' duration, in a college or scientific school approved by the board with the consent of the Commissioner of Public Health or possessed educational qualifications equivalent to those required for graduation from such school before beginning the study of natureopathy and that he is a graduate of a legally chartered, reputable school or college of natureopathy, approved by said board with the consent of the Commissioner of Public Health. Said department shall issue a license to each applicant who passes the examination and who has met all other requirements of this chapter and any regulations adopted hereunder. There shall be paid to the department by such applicant a fee of four hundred fifty dollars. Any person who has passed the prescribed examination shall receive from said department a license, which license shall include a statement that the person named therein is qualified to practice natureopathy. The secretary of said board shall file annually with the Department of Public Health a list of natureopathic colleges or institutions recognized by said board as legal and reputable.

      (1949 Rev., S. 4390; 1949, S. 2198d; 1959, P.A. 616, S. 13; 1963, P.A. 241; 1969, P.A. 123, S. 1; June, 1971, P.A. 8, S. 45; P.A. 77-614, S. 369, 610; P.A. 80-484, S. 23, 174, 176; P.A. 89-251, S. 76, 203; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; P.A. 96-18.)

      History: 1959 act doubled fee for certificate of operation, deleted requirement that $10 fee accompany application for same, and deleted $2 fee for certificate of registration as well as requirement that department pay recording fee out of this amount; 1963 act added requirement that study begun after September 1, 1963, be of not less than 64 weeks' duration; 1969 act deleted references to duplicate certificates and statements and to disposition of duplicate to town clerk where physician resides or intends to reside; 1971 act increased certificate fee from $50 to $150; P.A. 77-614 replaced department of health with department of health services, required health services commissioner's consent for examinations and required that chapter and related regulations, rather than board, determine whether applicant receives certificate, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 80-484 replaced certificate of registration with license and essentially transferred powers re applications, examinations and licensure from board to department, retaining board in an advisory role and revising provisions as necessary, deleted requirement that application be sworn and that applicant be, or intends to become, a resident and added provision re department's administration of examination and setting of passing scores; P.A. 89-251 increased the application fee from $150 to $450; P.A. 93-381 replaced department and commissioner of health services with department and commissioner of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 96-18 eliminated requirements of four years' residence and 36 weeks per year attendance at approved schools.

      See Sec. 19a-88 re annual renewal of licenses.

      See Sec. 19a-89 re notification of change in office or residence address.

      Duty of health commissioner in issuing certificate is ministerial and not discretionary. 133 C. 530. Revocation without notice or hearing is invalid. 136 C. 84.

      Commissioner has no discretion in issuing certificate of registration. 14 CS 199. The courts cannot aid one who was certified through fraud. 15 CS 303. Authority to approve a school or college of natureopathy rests with the board itself. Id., 468.