Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 116 Part 1.djvu/634

 116 STAT. 608 PUBLIC LAW 107-188-JUNE 12, 2002 private health or educational entities, including health professions schools and programs as defined in section 799B, for the purpose of providing low-interest loans, partial scholarships, partial fellowships, revolving loan funds, or other cost-sharing forms of assistance for the education and training of individuals in any category of health professions for which there is a shortage that the Secretary determines should be alleviated in order to prepare for or respond effectively to bioterrorism and other public health emergencies. "(b) AUTHORITY REGARDING NON-FEDERAL CONTRIBUTIONS. — The Secretary may require as a condition of an award under subsection (a) that a grantee under such subsection provide non-Federal contributions toward the purpose described in such subsection. "(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For the purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2002 through 2006.". SEC. 107. EMERGENCY SYSTEM FOR ADVANCE REGISTRATION OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS VOLUNTEERS. Part B of title III of the Public Health Service Act, as amended by section 106 of this Act, is amended by inserting after section 319H the following section: 42 USC 247d-7b. "SEC. 319L EMERGENCY SYSTEM FOR ADVANCE REGISTRATION OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS VOLUNTEERS. "(a) IN GENERAL. — The Secretary shall, directly or through an award of a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement, establish and maintain a system for the advance registration of health professionals for the purpose of verifying the credentials, licenses, accreditations, and hospital privileges of such professionals when, during public health emergencies, the professionals volunteer to provide health services (referred to in this section as the 'verification system'). In carrying out the preceding sentence, the Secretary shall provide for an electronic database for the verification system. "(b) CERTAIN CRITERLV.—The Secretary shall establish provisions regarding the promptness and efficiency of the system in collecting, storing, updating, and disseminating information on the credentials, licenses, accreditations, and hospital privileges of volunteers described in subsection (a). "(c) OTHER ASSISTANCE. — The Secretary may make grants and provide technical assistance to States and other public or nonprofit private entities for activities relating to the verification system developed under subsection (a). "(d) COORDINATION AMONG STATES. —The Secretary may encourage each State to provide legal authority during a public health emergency for health professionals authorized in another State to provide certain health services to provide such health services in the State. "(e) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION. — This section may not be construed as authorizing the Secretary to issue requirements regarding the provision by the States of credentials, licenses, accreditations, or hospital privileges. "(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For the purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2002, and such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2003 through 2006.".

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