(1) (a) The Colorado state board of chiropractic examiners shall adopt rules and regulations prescribing minimum standards for the qualifications, education, and training of unlicensed persons operating machine sources of ionizing radiation and administering such radiation to patients for diagnostic chiropractic use. No licensed chiropractor shall allow any unlicensed person to operate any machine source of ionizing radiation or to administer such radiation to any patient unless such person has met the standards then in effect under rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this section. The board may adopt rules and regulations allowing a grace period in which newly hired operators of machine sources of ionizing radiation shall receive the training required pursuant to this section.

(b) For purposes of this part 2, "unlicensed person" means any person who does not hold a current and active license entitling the person to practice chiropractic under the provisions of this article.

(2) The board shall seek the assistance of licensed chiropractors in developing and formulating the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to this section.

(3) The required number of hours of training and education for all unlicensed persons operating machine sources of ionizing radiation and administering such radiation to patients shall be established by the board by rule on or before July 1, 1992. This standard shall apply to all persons in chiropractic settings other than hospitals and similar facilities licensed by the department of public health and environment pursuant to section 25-1.5-103, C.R.S. Such training and education may be obtained through programs approved by the appropriate authority of any state or through equivalent programs and training experience including on-the-job training as determined by the board.