(1) Beginning September 1, 2023, a person whose home care aide certificate has been expired for more than six months and less than two years who seeks to restore the certificate to active status is exempt from the payment of any late renewal fee or current renewal fee if the person complies with all other certification requirements determined necessary by the department to return to active status.

(2) The department shall send a notification to the last known address of each person who held a certificate under this chapter and, since January 1, 2020, failed to renew the certificate to inform the person that a certificate may be restored without a financial penalty or payment of a renewal fee under subsection (1) of this section. For persons who have allowed their certificates to expire since January 1, 2023, the department must allow six months to pass since the expiration prior to contacting them to inform them that a certificate may be restored without a financial penalty or payment of a renewal fee under subsection (1) of this section.

(3) The department and the department of social and health services, as applicable, shall adopt rules to assure that continuing education requirements are not a barrier for persons seeking to reactivate their certificates under this chapter.

(4) This section expires July 1, 2025.