(a) Pursuant to §206.351 of the Act, the board by order may impose an administrative penalty, in accordance with and subject to §§187.75 - 187.82 of this title (relating to the Imposition of Administrative Penalty), against a person licensed or regulated under the Act who violates the Act or a rule or order adopted under the Act. The imposition of such a penalty shall be consistent with the requirements of the Act.
(b) The penalty for a violation may be in an amount not to exceed $5,000. Each day a violation continues or occurs is a separate violation for purposes of imposing a penalty.
(c) The amount of the penalty shall be based on the factors set forth under the Act, §206.351(c) and Chapter 190 of this title (relating to Disciplinary Guidelines).
(d) Consistent with the Act, §206.351(e), if the board by order determines that a violation has occurred and imposes an administrative penalty on a person licensed or regulated under the Act, the board shall give notice to the person of the board's order which shall include a statement of the right of the person to seek judicial review of the order.
(e) An administrative penalty may be imposed under this section for the following:
(1) failure to timely comply with a board subpoena issued by the board pursuant to §206.308 of the Act and board rules shall be grounds for the imposition of an administrative penalty of no less than $100 and no more than $5,000 for each separate violation;
(2) failure to timely comply with the terms, conditions, or requirements of a board order shall be grounds for imposition of an administrative penalty of no less than $100 and no more than $5,000 for each separate violation;
(3) failure to timely report a change of address to the board shall be grounds for imposition of an administrative penalty of no less than $100 and no more than $5,000 for each separate violation;
(4) failure to timely respond to a patient's communications shall be grounds for imposition of an administrative penalty of no less than $100 and no more than $5,000 for each separate violation;
(5) failure to comply with the complaint procedure notification requirements as set forth in §184.19 of this title (relating to Complaint Procedure Notification) shall be grounds for imposition of an administrative penalty of no less than $100 and no more than $5,000 for each separate violation;
(6) failure to provide show compliance proceeding information in the prescribed time shall be grounds for imposition of an administrative penalty of no less than $100 and no more than $5,000 for each separate violation; and
(7) for any other violation other than quality of care that the board deems appropriate shall be grounds for imposition of an administrative penalty of no less than $100 and no more than $5,000 for each separate violation.
(f) Any order proposed under this section shall be subject to final approval by the board.
(g) Failure to pay an administrative penalty imposed through an order shall be grounds for disciplinary action by the board pursuant to the Act, §206.302(a)(4), regarding unprofessional or dishonorable conduct likely to deceive or defraud, or injure the public, and shall also be grounds for the executive director to refer the matter to the attorney general for collection of the amount of the penalty.
(h) A person who becomes financially unable to pay an administrative penalty after entry of an order imposing such a penalty, upon a showing of good cause by a writing executed by the person under oath and at the discretion of the Disciplinary Process Review Committee of the board, may be granted an extension of time or deferral of no more than one year from the date the administrative penalty is due. Upon the conclusion of any such extension of time or deferral, if payment has not been made in the manner and in the amount required, action authorized by the terms of the order or subsection (g) of this section and the Act, §206.301(a)(4) may be pursued.
Source Note: The provisions of this §184.18 adopted to be effective September 19, 2002, 27 TexReg 8771; amended to be effective August 10, 2008, 33 TexReg 6135; amended to be effective July 7, 2016, 41 TexReg 4827