LD 487
pg. 2
Page 1 of 2 An Act to Allow the Agencies of the Department of Professional and Financial Re... LD 487 Title Page
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LR 753
Item 1

 
evaluations; mandatory professional or occupational
supervision of the applicant, licensee or registrant; and
other conditions as the bureau, office, board or
commission determines appropriate. Costs incurred in the
performance of terms of probation are borne by the
applicant, licensee or registrant. Failure to comply
with the conditions of probation is a ground for
disciplinary action against a licensee or registrant.

 
B. The bureau, office, board or commission may execute a
consent agreement that resolves a complaint or investigation
without further proceedings. Consent agreements may be
entered into only with the consent of: the applicant,
licensee or registrant; the bureau, office, board or
commission; and the Department of the Attorney General. Any
remedy, penalty or fine that is otherwise available by law,
even if only in the jurisdiction of the District Superior
Court, may be achieved by consent agreement, including long-
term suspension and permanent revocation of a professional
or occupational license or registration. A consent agreement
is not subject to review or appeal, and may be modified only
by a writing executed by all parties to the original consent
agreement. A consent agreement is enforceable by an action
in Superior Court.

 
C. The bureau, office, board or commission may:

 
(1) Require all applicants for license or registration
renewal to have responded under oath to all inquiries
set forth on renewal forms;

 
(2) Require applicants for license or registration renewal to
present proof of satisfactory completion of continuing
professional or occupational education in accordance with each
bureau's, office's, board's or commission's rules. Failure to
comply with the continuing education rules may, in the bureau's,
office's, board's or commission's discretion, result in a
decision to deny license or registration renewal or may result in
a decision to enter into a consent agreement and probation
setting forth terms and conditions to correct the licensee's or
registrant's failure to complete continuing education. Terms and
conditions of a consent agreement may include requiring
completion of increased hours of continuing education, civil
penalties, suspension and other terms as the bureau, office,
board, commission, the licensee or registrant and the Department
of the Attorney General determine appropriate. Notwithstanding
any contrary provision set forth in a bureau's, office's, board's
or

 
commission's governing law, continuing education
requirements may coincide with the license or
registration renewal period;

 
(3) Refuse to renew a license or registration when the
bureau, office, board or commission finds a licensee or
registrant to be in noncompliance with a bureau,
office, board or commission order or consent agreement;

 
(4) Allow licensees or registrants to hold inactive
status licenses or registrations in accordance with
each bureau's, office's, board's or commission's rules.
The fee for an inactive license or registration may not
exceed the statutory fee cap established for the
bureau's, office's, board's or commission's license or
registration renewal set forth in its governing law; or

 
(5) Delegate to staff the authority to review and
approve applications for licensure pursuant to
procedures and criteria established by rule. Rules
developed pursuant to this subparagraph are routine
technical rules as described in Title 5, chapter 375,
subchapter II-A.

 
D. The bureau, office, board or commission may require
surrender of licenses and registrations. In order for a
licensee's or registrant's surrender of a license or
registration to be effective, a surrender must first be
accepted by vote of the bureau, office, board or commission.
Bureaus, offices, boards and commissions may refuse to
accept surrender of licenses and registrations if the
licensee or registrant is under investigation or is the
subject of a pending complaint or proceeding, unless a
consent agreement is first entered into pursuant to this
chapter.

 
E. The bureau, office, board or commission may issue letters of
guidance or concern to a licensee or registrant. Letters of
guidance or concern may be used to educate, reinforce knowledge
regarding legal or professional obligations and express concern
over action or inaction by the licensee or registrant that does
not rise to the level of misconduct sufficient to merit
disciplinary action. The issuance of a letter of guidance or
concern is not a formal proceeding and does not constitute an
adverse disciplinary action of any form. Notwithstanding any
other provision of law, letters of guidance or concern are not
confidential. The bureau, office, board or commission may place
letters of guidance or concern, together with any underlying
complaint,

 
report and investigation materials, in a licensee's or
registrant's file for a specified amount of time, not to
exceed 10 years. Any letters, complaints and materials
placed on file may be accessed and considered by the bureau,
office, board or commission in any subsequent action
commenced against the licensee or registrant within the
specified time frame. Complaints, reports and investigation
materials placed on file are only confidential to the extent
that confidentiality is required pursuant to Title 24,
chapter 21, the Maine Health Security Act.

 
F. A bureau, office, board or commission may establish, by
rule, procedures for licensees in another state to be
licensed in this State by written agreement with another
state, by entering into written licensing compacts with
other states or by any other method of license recognition
considered appropriate that ensures the health, safety and
welfare of the public. Rules adopted pursuant to this
paragraph are routine technical rules pursuant to Title 5,
chapter 375, subchapter II-A.

 
The jurisdiction to suspend and revoke occupational and
professional licenses conferred by this subsection is concurrent
with that of the District Superior Court. Civil penalties must be
paid to the Treasurer of State.

 
Any nonconsensual disciplinary action taken under authority of
this subsection may be imposed only after a hearing conforming to
the requirements of Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter IV, and is
subject to judicial review exclusively in the District Superior
Court in accordance with Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter VII,
substituting the term "District Court" for "Superior Court,"
notwithstanding any other provision of law.

 
SUMMARY

 
This bill authorizes the agencies and professional and
occupational licensing boards within or affiliated with the
Department of Professional and Financial Regulation to revoke
licenses and registrations issued by the respective boards.

 
The bill also transfers concurrent jurisdiction over license
revocations and suspensions from the District Court to the
Superior Court and provides that any nonconsensual disciplinary
action is subject to judicial review exclusively in the Superior
Court.


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