Chapter 101

2012 -- H 7228

Enacted 05/25/12

A N A C T

RELATING TO CORPORATIONS - ASSOCIATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS -

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CORPORATIONS

Introduced By: Representatives Ruggiero, Ucci, Walsh, Costa, and Chippendale

Date Introduced: January 25, 2012

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Sections 7-5.1-2 and 7-5.1-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 7-5.1 entitled

"Professional Service Corporations" are hereby amended to read as follows:

7-5.1-2. Definitions. -- As used in this chapter:

     (1) "Professional services" means the rendering of personal services by a person

authorized to practice as one of the following professions as defined:

     (i) Physicians;

     (ii) Dentists;

     (iii) Attorneys at law;

     (iv) [Deleted by P.L. 2000, ch. 328, section 1, and by P.L. 2000, ch. 513, section 1.]

     (v) Professional engineers;

(vi) Architects;

     (vii) Certified public accountants and licensed public accountants;

     (viii) Veterinarians;

     (ix) Chiropractors;

     (x) Podiatrists;

     (xi) Registered nurses;

     (xii) Optometrists;

     (xiii) Physical therapists;

     (xiv) Landscape architects;

     (xv) Land surveyors;

     (xvi) Opticians; or

     (xvii) Physician assistants.;

(xviii) Psychologists; or

(xix) Midwives or nurse-midwives.

     (2) "Regulatory agency" means:

     (i) The division of professional regulation licensing board contained within the

department of health, as set forth in title 5 of the general laws when referring to physicians,

dentists, chiropractors, podiatrists, registered nurses, optometrists, physical therapists, opticians,

or physician assistants;, or midwives or nurse-midwives;

     (ii) The Supreme Court when referring to attorneys at law;

     (iii) The board of registration of professional engineers and land surveyors when referring

to professional engineers and/or land surveyors;

(iv) The board of examination and registration of architects when referring to architects;

     (v) The board of accountancy when referring to certified public accountants, and licensed

public accountants;

(vi) The board of veterinarians when referring to veterinarians;

     (vii) The board of examiners of landscape architects when referring to landscape

architects;

(viii) The board of psychology when referring to psychologists.

     (3) "Authorized to practice" means duly licensed, certified, or registered by the proper

regulatory agency.

7-5.1-3. Authority to practice. -- (a) Except as specifically provided in subsection (b) of

this section, any corporation organized under this chapter may engage in rendering professional

services of not more than one of the professions enumerated in section 7-5.1-2, provided that

every officer, director, and shareholder of the corporation is an individual authorized to practice

the profession and is employed by the corporation in that practice. No individual may be an

officer, shareholder, director, or employee of any other corporation engaged in the practice of the

same profession without the prior written approval of the applicable regulatory agency or

agencies.

     (b) Nothing in these provisions is to be construed to prohibit a corporation organized

under this chapter from engaging in the practice of the following combination of professions:

     (1) Physicians, dentists, registered nurses, podiatrists, optometrists, physician assistants,

chiropractic physicians;, physical therapists, psychologists, midwives or nurse-midwives;

     (2) Landscape architects, professional engineers, architects, and land surveyors; and

     (3) Certified public accountants and licensed public accountants.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC00857

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