(1) Each board, or the department if there is no board, shall adopt by rule and periodically review the disciplinary guidelines applicable to each ground for disciplinary action which may be imposed by the board, or the department if there is no board, pursuant to this chapter, the respective practice acts, and any rule of the board or department.
(2) The disciplinary guidelines shall specify a meaningful range of designated penalties based upon the severity and repetition of specific offenses, it being the legislative intent that minor violations be distinguished from those which endanger the public health, safety, or welfare; that such guidelines provide reasonable and meaningful notice to the public of likely penalties which may be imposed for proscribed conduct; and that such penalties be consistently applied by the board.
(3) A specific finding in the final order of mitigating or aggravating circumstances shall allow the board to impose a penalty other than that provided for in such guidelines. If applicable, the board, or the department if there is no board, shall adopt by rule disciplinary guidelines to designate possible mitigating and aggravating circumstances and the variation and range of penalties permitted for such circumstances.
(4) The department must review such disciplinary guidelines for compliance with the legislative intent as set forth herein to determine whether the guidelines establish a meaningful range of penalties and may also challenge such rules pursuant to s. 120.56.
(5) The administrative law judge, in recommending penalties in any recommended order, must follow the penalty guidelines established by the board or department and must state in writing the mitigating or aggravating circumstances upon which the recommended penalty is based.
History.—s. 70, ch. 97-261; s. 97, ch. 2000-160; s. 16, ch. 2001-277.
Note.—Former s. 455.627.
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.