Sec. 202.253. GROUNDS FOR DENIAL OF LICENSE

(a) The board may refuse to admit a person to an examination, and may refuse to issue a license to practice podiatry to a person, for:

(1) presenting to the board a license, certificate, or diploma that was illegally or fraudulently obtained or engaging in fraud or deception in passing the examination;

(2) being convicted of:

(A) a felony;

(B) a crime that involves moral turpitude; or

(C) an offense under Section 202.606;

(3) engaging in habits of intemperance or drug addiction that in the board's opinion would endanger the health, well-being, or welfare of patients;

(4) engaging in grossly unprofessional or dishonorable conduct of a character that in the board's opinion is likely to deceive or defraud the public;

(5) directly or indirectly violating or attempting to violate this chapter or a rule adopted under this chapter as a principal, accessory, or accomplice;

(6) using any advertising statement of a character tending to mislead or deceive the public;

(7) advertising professional superiority or the performance of professional service in a superior manner;

(8) purchasing, selling, bartering, or using or offering to purchase, sell, barter, or use a podiatry degree, license, certificate, diploma, or a transcript of a license, certificate, or diploma, in or incident to an application to the board for a license to practice podiatry;

(9) altering, with fraudulent intent, a podiatry license, certificate, diploma, or a transcript of a podiatry license, certificate, or diploma;

(10) using a podiatry license, certificate, or diploma, or a transcript of a podiatry license, certificate, or diploma, that has been fraudulently purchased, issued, counterfeited, or materially altered;

(11) impersonating, or acting as proxy for, another person in a podiatry license examination;

(12) impersonating a license holder, or permitting another person to use the license holder's license to practice podiatry in this state, to treat or offer to treat, by any method, conditions and ailments of human feet;

(13) directly or indirectly employing a person whose license to practice podiatry has been suspended or associating in the practice of podiatry with a person whose license to practice podiatry has been suspended or who has been convicted of the unlawful practice of podiatry in this state or elsewhere;

(14) wilfully making in the application for a license to practice podiatry a material misrepresentation or material untrue statement;

(15) being unable to practice podiatry with reasonable skill and safety to a patient because of age, illness, drunkenness, or excessive use of drugs, narcotics, chemicals, or other substances or as a result of a mental or physical condition;

(16) failing to practice podiatry in an acceptable manner consistent with public health and welfare;

(17) being removed, suspended, or disciplined in another manner by the podiatrist's peers in a professional podiatry association or society, whether local, regional, state, or national in scope, or being disciplined by a licensed hospital or the medical staff of a hospital, including removal, suspension, limitation of hospital privileges, or other disciplinary action, if the board determines that the action was:

(A) based on unprofessional conduct or professional incompetence likely to harm the public; and

(B) appropriate and reasonably supported by evidence submitted to the association, society, hospital, or medical staff; or

(18) having repeated or recurring meritorious health care liability claims filed against the podiatrist that in the board's opinion are evidence of professional incompetence likely to injure the public.

(b) In enforcing Subsection (a)(15), the board, on probable cause, shall request the affected podiatrist to submit to a mental or physical examination by a physician designated by the board. If the podiatrist refuses to submit to the examination, the board shall issue an order requiring the podiatrist to show cause why the podiatrist will not submit to the examination and shall schedule a hearing on the order not later than the 30th day after the date notice is served on the podiatrist. The podiatrist shall be notified by either personal service or certified mail with return receipt requested.

(c) At the hearing, the podiatrist and the podiatrist's attorney may present testimony and other evidence to show why the podiatrist should not be required to submit to the examination. After a complete hearing, the board shall issue an order either requiring the podiatrist to submit to the examination or withdrawing the request for examination.

Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.