71-6224. Technical committee; appointment; membership; meetings; duties.

(1) The director with the advice of the board shall appoint an appropriate technical committee to examine and investigate each application. The committee shall consist of six appointed members and one member of the board designated by the board who shall serve as chairperson of the committee. The chairperson of the committee shall not be a member of the applicant group, any health profession sought to be regulated by the application, or any health profession which is directly or indirectly affected by the application. The director shall ensure that the total composition of the committee is fair, impartial, and equitable. In no event shall more than one member of the same regulated health profession, the applicant group, or the health profession sought to be regulated by an application serve on a technical committee.

(2) As soon as possible after its appointment, the committee shall meet and review the application assigned to it. The committee shall serve as a factfinding body and undertake such investigation as it deems necessary to address the issues identified in the application. As part of its investigation, each committee shall consider available scientific evidence and conduct public factfinding hearings. Each committee shall comply with the Open Meetings Act.

(3) An applicant group shall have the burden of producing evidence to support its application.

(4) Each committee shall detail its findings in a report and file the report with the board and the director. Each committee shall evaluate the application presented to it on the basis of the appropriate criteria as established in sections 71-6221 to 71-6223, shall make written findings on all criteria, and shall make a recommendation for approval or denial. Whether it recommends approval or denial of an application, the committee may make additional recommendations regarding changes to the proposal or other solutions to problems identified during the review and may comment on the anticipated benefits to the health, safety, and welfare of the public. If the committee recommends approval of an application for regulation of a health profession not currently regulated, it shall also recommend the least restrictive method of regulation to be implemented consistent with the cost-effective protection of the public and with section 71-6222. The committee may recommend a specific method of regulation not listed in section 71-6222 if it finds that such method is the best alternative method of regulation.

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