(a) A license holder may have the license holder's license placed on inactive status by applying to the board. A physician assistant with an inactive license is excused from paying renewal fees on the license and may not practice as a physician assistant in Texas.     
      (b) In order for a license holder to be placed on inactive status, the license holder must have a current registration permit and have a license in good standing.     
      (c) A license holder who practices as a physician assistant in Texas while on inactive status is considered to be practicing without a license.     
      (d) A physician assistant may return to active status by:      
        (1) applying to the board, paying an application fee equal to an application fee for a physician assistant license;       
        (2) complying with the requirements for license renewal under the Act;       
        (3) providing current verifications from each state in which the physician assistant holds a license;       
        (4) demonstrating current certification by NCCPA;       
        (5) completing a fingerprint card and returning the card to the board as part of the application;       
        (6) submitting a report from the National Practitioner Data Bank/Health Integrity and Protection Data Bank (NPDB-HIPDB) by contacting the NPDB-HIPDB and having a report of action submitted directly to the board on the applicant's behalf; and       
        (7) submitting professional evaluations from each employment held after the license was placed on inactive status, and complying with subsection (e) of this section.       
      (e) A physician assistant applicant applying to return to active status shall provide sufficient documentation to the board that the applicant has, on a full-time basis as defined in §185.4(d) of this title (relating to Procedural Rules for Licensure Applicants), actively practiced as a physician assistant or has been on the active teaching faculty of an acceptable approved physician assistant program, within either of the two years preceding receipt of an application for reactivation. Applicants who do not meet this requirement may, in the discretion of the board, be eligible for the reactivation of a license subject to one or more of the following conditions or restrictions as set forth in paragraphs (1) - (5) of this subsection:      
        (1) current certification by the National Commission on the Certification of Physician Assistants;       
        (2) completion of specified continuing medical education hours approved for Category 1 credits by a CME sponsor approved by the American Academy of Physician Assistants;       
        (3) limitation and/or exclusion of the practice of the applicant to specified activities of the practice as a physician assistant;       
        (4) remedial education; and/or       
        (5) such other remedial or restrictive conditions or requirements which, in the discretion of the board are necessary to ensure protection of the public and minimal competency of the applicant to safely practice as a physician assistant.       
      (f) After five years on inactive status, the license shall be canceled as if by request. The physician assistant may obtain a new license by complying with the requirements and procedures for obtaining an original license.     
     Source Note:        The provisions of this §185.8 adopted to be effective November 3, 2002, 27 TexReg 10027; amended to be effective July 4, 2004, 29 TexReg 6091; amended to be effective June 29, 2006, 31 TexReg 5105; amended to be effective September 26, 2016, 41 TexReg 7485; amended to be effective July 19, 2018, 43 TexReg 4747