(1) Notwithstanding s. 456.073, the board, or the department if there is no board, shall adopt rules to permit the issuance of citations. The citation shall be issued to the subject and shall contain the subject’s name and address, the subject’s license number if applicable, a brief factual statement, the sections of the law allegedly violated, and the penalty imposed. The citation must clearly state that the subject may choose, in lieu of accepting the citation, to follow the procedure under s. 456.073. If the subject disputes the matter in the citation, the procedures set forth in s. 456.073 must be followed. However, if the subject does not dispute the matter in the citation with the department within 30 days after the citation is served, the citation becomes a public final order and does not constitute discipline for a first offense, but does constitute discipline for a second or subsequent offense. The penalty shall be a fine or other conditions as established by rule.
(2) The board, or the department if there is no board, shall adopt rules designating violations for which a citation may be issued. Such rules shall designate as citation violations those violations for which there is no substantial threat to the public health, safety, and welfare or no violation of standard of care involving injury to a patient. Violations for which a citation may be issued shall include violations of continuing education requirements; failure to timely pay required fees and fines; failure to comply with the requirements of ss. 381.026 and 381.0261 regarding the dissemination of information regarding patient rights; failure to comply with advertising requirements; failure to timely update practitioner profile and credentialing files; failure to display signs, licenses, and permits; failure to have required reference books available; and all other violations that do not pose a direct and serious threat to the health and safety of the patient or involve a violation of standard of care that has resulted in injury to a patient.
(3) The department shall be entitled to recover the costs of investigation, in addition to any penalty provided according to board or department rule, as part of the penalty levied pursuant to the citation.
(4) A citation must be issued within 6 months after the filing of the complaint that is the basis for the citation.
(5) Service of a citation may be made by personal service or certified mail, restricted delivery, to the subject at the subject’s last known address.
(6) A board has 6 months in which to enact rules designating violations and penalties appropriate for citation offenses. Failure to enact such rules gives the department exclusive authority to adopt rules as required for implementing this section. A board has continuous authority to amend its rules adopted pursuant to this section.
History.—s. 67, ch. 97-261; s. 95, ch. 2000-160; s. 74, ch. 2001-277; s. 21, ch. 2003-416.
Note.—Former s. 455.617.
Structure Florida Statutes
Title XXXII - Regulation of Professions and Occupations
Chapter 456 - Health Professions and Occupations: General Provisions
456.003 - Legislative Intent; Requirements.
456.004 - Department; Powers and Duties.
456.005 - Long-Range Policy Planning.
456.006 - Contacting Boards Through Department.
456.008 - Accountability and Liability of Board Members.
456.009 - Legal and Investigative Services.
456.011 - Boards; Organization; Meetings; Compensation and Travel Expenses.
456.012 - Board Rules; Final Agency Action; Challenges.
456.013 - Department; General Licensing Provisions.
456.0135 - General Background Screening Provisions.
456.016 - Use of Professional Testing Services.
456.018 - Penalty for Theft or Reproduction of an Examination.
456.019 - Restriction on Requirement of Citizenship.
456.022 - Foreign-Trained Professionals; Special Examination and License Provisions.
456.023 - Exemption for Certain Out-of-State or Foreign Professionals; Limited Practice Permitted.
456.0241 - Temporary Certificate for Active Duty Military Health Care Practitioners.
456.025 - Fees; Receipts; Disposition.
456.027 - Education; Accreditation.
456.029 - Education; Substituting Demonstration of Competency for Clock-Hour Requirements.
456.0301 - Requirement for Instruction on Controlled Substance Prescribing.
456.031 - Requirement for Instruction on Domestic Violence.
456.032 - Hepatitis B or HIV Carriers.
456.033 - Requirement for Instruction for Certain Licensees on HIV and Aids.
456.0341 - Requirements for Instruction on Human Trafficking.
456.036 - Licenses; Active and Inactive Status; Delinquency.
456.0361 - Compliance With Continuing Education Requirements.
456.038 - Renewal and Cancellation Notices.
456.039 - Designated Health Care Professionals; Information Required for Licensure.
456.0391 - Advanced Practice Registered Nurses; Information Required for Licensure.
456.0392 - Prescription Labeling.
456.041 - Practitioner Profile; Creation.
456.042 - Practitioner Profiles; Update.
456.043 - Practitioner Profiles; Data Storage.
456.044 - Practitioner Profiles; Rules; Workshops.
456.045 - Practitioner Profiles; Maintenance of Superseded Information.
456.046 - Practitioner Profiles; Confidentiality.
456.048 - Financial Responsibility Requirements for Certain Health Care Practitioners.
456.049 - Health Care Practitioners; Reports on Professional Liability Claims and Actions.
456.0495 - Reporting Adverse Incidents Occurring in Planned Out-of-Hospital Births.
456.052 - Disclosure of Financial Interest by Production.
456.054 - Kickbacks Prohibited.
456.055 - Chiropractic and Podiatric Health Care; Denial of Payment; Limitation.
456.056 - Treatment of Medicare Beneficiaries; Refusal, Emergencies, Consulting Physicians.
456.0575 - Duty to Notify Patients.
456.059 - Communications Confidential; Exceptions.
456.063 - Sexual Misconduct; Disqualification for License, Certificate, or Registration.
456.0635 - Health Care Fraud; Disqualification for License, Certificate, or Registration.
456.066 - Prosecution of Criminal Violations.
456.067 - Penalty for Giving False Information.
456.068 - Toll-Free Telephone Number for Reporting of Complaints.
456.069 - Authority to Inspect.
456.071 - Power to Administer Oaths, Take Depositions, and Issue Subpoenas.
456.072 - Grounds for Discipline; Penalties; Enforcement.
456.073 - Disciplinary Proceedings.
456.074 - Certain Health Care Practitioners; Immediate Suspension of License.
456.075 - Criminal Proceedings Against Licensees; Appearances by Department Representatives.
456.076 - Impaired Practitioner Programs.
456.077 - Authority to Issue Citations.
456.079 - Disciplinary Guidelines.
456.081 - Publication of Information.
456.082 - Disclosure of Confidential Information.
456.36 - Health Care Professionals; Exemption From Disqualification From Employment or Contracting.
456.38 - Practitioner Registry for Disasters and Emergencies.
456.41 - Complementary or Alternative Health Care Treatments.
456.42 - Written Prescriptions for Medicinal Drugs.
456.43 - Electronic Prescribing for Medicinal Drugs.
456.44 - Controlled Substance Prescribing.
456.47 - Use of Telehealth to Provide Services.