A resident or nonresident individual who is certified as eligible under ORS § 442.561, 442.562, 442.563 or 442.564, and is licensed as a physician under ORS Chapter 677, licensed as a physician assistant under ORS Chapter 677, licensed as a nurse practitioner under ORS Chapter 678, licensed as a certified registered nurse anesthetist under ORS Chapter 678, licensed as a dentist under ORS Chapter 679 or licensed as an optometrist under ORS § 683.010 to 683.340 is entitled to the tax credit described in ORS § 315.613 even if not a member of the hospital medical staff if the Office of Rural Health certifies that the individual:

(1) Is engaged for at least 20 hours per week, averaged over the month, during the tax year in a rural practice; and

(2)(a) If a physician or a physician assistant, can cause a patient to be admitted to the hospital;

(b) If a certified registered nurse anesthetist, is employed by or has a contractual relationship with one of the hospitals described in ORS § 315.613 (1); or

(c) If an optometrist, has consulting privileges with a hospital listed in ORS § 315.613 (1). This paragraph does not apply to an optometrist who qualifies as a ‘frontier rural practitioner,’ as defined by the Office of Rural Health. [Formerly 316.144; 2013 c.129 § 25; 2013 c.750 § 12]