Sec. 155.007.  APPLICATION PROCESS.  (a)  The executive director shall review each application for a license and shall:
(1)  recommend to the board each applicant eligible for a license;  and
(2)  report to the board the name of each applicant determined to be ineligible for a license, together with the reasons for that determination.
(b)  An applicant determined to be ineligible for a license by the executive director may request review of that determination by a committee of the board.  The applicant must request the review not later than the 20th day after the date the applicant receives notice of the determination.
(c)  The executive director may refer an application to the board committee for a recommendation concerning eligibility.  If the committee determines that the applicant is ineligible for a license, the committee shall submit that determination, together with the reasons for the determination, to the board unless the applicant requests a hearing not later than the 20th day after the date the applicant receives notice of the determination.
(d)  The committee may refer an application for determination of eligibility to the full board.
(e)  A hearing requested under Subsection (c) shall be held before an administrative law judge of the State Office of Administrative Hearings and must comply with:
(1)  Chapter 2001, Government Code;  and
(2)  the rules of:
(A)  the State Office of Administrative Hearings;  and
(B)  the board.
(f)  After receipt of the administrative law judge's proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law, the board shall determine the applicant's eligibility.  The board shall provide an applicant who is denied a license a written statement containing the reasons for the board's action.
(g)  Each report received or gathered by the board on a license applicant is confidential and is not subject to disclosure under Chapter 552, Government Code.  The board may disclose a report to an appropriate licensing authority in another state.  The board shall report all licensing actions to appropriate licensing authorities in other states and to the Federation of State Medical Boards of the United States.
(h)  Not later than January 1 of each year:
(1)  the executive director shall review the policy and procedures the board uses to issue licenses; and
(2)  the board shall perform a needs assessment to enable the board to determine the performance goals that the board must meet to reduce any unreasonable delays in the timely completion of the licensing process and to ensure the process is completed in a reasonable number of days.
(i)  Not later than August 1 of each even-numbered year, the executive director shall issue a report to the governor, the Legislative Budget Board, and the relevant committees of the senate and the house of representatives on the state of the board's licensing process.
(j)  The report required under Subsection (i) must include a projected yearly budget for board staffing and technology improvements that will allow the board to issue licenses within a reasonable number of days.
(k)  The board and the executive director shall ensure that any change in licensing policies or procedures is made only to increase the number of licenses issued under this chapter, reduce unreasonable delays in the licensing process, and maintain public safety.
(l)  The report required under Subsection (i) must include:
(1)  any specialty certification information collected from applicants, including any information similar to information collected under Section 154.006;
(2)  the location where each applicant intends to practice; and
(3)  in aggregate form, data collected since the prior report relating to felony convictions, Class A and Class B misdemeanor convictions, and deferred adjudications for felonies and Class A and Class B misdemeanors.
(m)  Not later than August 31, 2008, the board shall ensure that the average time to process license applications under this chapter does not exceed 51 days.  The board shall include the board's progress toward this performance measure target in the report required under Subsection (i).
(n)  The board shall make an effort to give priority to an application submitted by an applicant who informs the board that the applicant intends to practice in a medically underserved area of this state.
Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.  Amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1420, Sec. 14.027(f), eff. Sept. 1, 2001.
Amended by: 
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 880 (H.B. 1973), Sec. 2, eff. June 15, 2007.