North Carolina General Assembly

“ The General Assembly finds that the practice of respiratory care in the State of North Carolina affects the public health, safety, and welfare and that the mandatory licensure of persons who engage in respiratory care is necessary to ensure a minimum standard of competency. ”

“ The Board shall have the power and duty to: (1) Determine the qualifications and fitness of applicants for licensure, renewal of licensure, and reciprocal licensure. The Board shall, in its discretion, investigate the background of an applicant to determine the applicant's qualifications with due regard given to the applicant's competency, honesty, truthfulness, and integrity. The Department of Justice may provide a criminal record check to the North Carolina Respiratory Care Board for a person who has applied for a license through the Board. ”

“ The Board may grant, upon application and the payment of proper fees, a license to a person who, at the time of application holds a valid license, certificate, or registration as a respiratory care practitioner issued by another state or a political territory or jurisdiction acceptable to the Board if, in the Board's determination, the requirements for that license, certificate, or registration are substantially the same as the requirements for licensure under this Article. ”