SENATE, No. 1086

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED MAY 9, 1996

By Senators SINGER and BENNETT

An Act concerning impersonation of certain licensed health care professionals and supplementing chapter 21 of Title 2C of the New Jersey Statutes.

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1. A person who, when he is not legally qualified by the laws of this State to do so, engages in the practice of any health care activity for which a license is required, or holds himself out to the public or any person as being eligible to engage in that practice is guilty of a crime of the third degree.

    As used in this section, the term "licensed health care professional" means an individual licensed by this State to administer health care in the ordinary course of business or practice of a profession, but does not include a person licensed to practice medicine and surgery or podiatry or dentistry.

    2. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

    This bill makes it a crime of the third degree to impersonate a licensed health care professional. Under the bill a person commits this offense if, when not legally qualified to do so, the person engages in any health care activity for which a license is required, or holds himself out to the public or any person as being eligible to engage in that practice. The term "licensed health care professional," as used in the bill, does not include doctors and dentists as other criminal statutes already cover these impersonations. A third degree offense is punishable by up to ten years imprisonment, a fine up to $7,500, or both.

Creates the offense of impersonating certain licensed health care professionals.