A. In accordance with the procedures contained in the Uniform Licensing Act [61-1-1 to 61-1-31 NMSA 1978], the board may deny, revoke or suspend any license held or applied for pursuant to the Lactation Care Provider Act, reprimand or place a licensee on probation or deny, limit or revoke a privilege of a licensee desiring to practice or practicing lactation care and services upon grounds that the licensee or applicant:

(1) is guilty of fraud or deceit in procuring or attempting to procure a license;

(2) is convicted of a felony;

(3) is unfit or incompetent;

(4) is intemperate or is addicted to the use of habit-forming drugs;

(5) is guilty of unprofessional conduct as defined by board rules;

(6) has willfully or repeatedly violated any provisions of the Lactation Care Provider Act, including any board rule adopted pursuant to that act; or

(7) was certified or licensed to provide lactation care and services in any jurisdiction, territory or possession of the United States or another country and was the subject of disciplinary action for acts similar to acts described in this subsection. A certified copy of the record of the certification or licensure board disciplinary action taken by another jurisdiction, territory or possession of the United States or another country is conclusive evidence of the action.

B. The board may summarily suspend or restrict a license issued by the board without a hearing, simultaneously with or at any time after the initiation of proceedings for a hearing provided under the Uniform Licensing Act, if the board finds that evidence in its possession indicates that the licensee:

(1) poses a clear and immediate danger to the public health and safety if the licensee continues to practice;

(2) has been adjudged mentally incompetent by a final order or adjudication by a court of competent jurisdiction; or

(3) has pled guilty to or been found guilty of any offense related to the practice of medicine or for any violent criminal offense in this state or a substantially equivalent criminal offense in another jurisdiction.

C. A licensee is not required to comply with a summary action taken pursuant to Subsection B of this section until service has been made or the licensee has actual knowledge of the order, whichever occurs first.

D. A person whose license is suspended or restricted under this section is entitled to a hearing by the board pursuant to the Uniform Licensing Act within fifteen days from the date that the licensee requests a hearing.

E. Disciplinary proceedings may be instituted by any person, shall be by complaint and shall conform with the provisions of the Uniform Licensing Act. Any party to a hearing may obtain a copy of the hearing record upon payment of costs for the copy.

F. Any person filing a complaint shall be immune from liability arising out of civil action if the complaint is filed in good faith and without actual malice.

G. All written and oral communication made by any person to the board relating to actual or potential disciplinary action, including complaints made to the board, shall be confidential communications and are not public records for the purposes of the Inspection of Public Records Act [Chapter 14, Article 2 NMSA 1978]. All data, communications and information acquired, prepared or disseminated by the board relating to actual or potential disciplinary action or its investigation of complaints shall not be disclosed, except to the extent necessary to carry out the purposes of the board or in a judicial appeal from the actions of the board or in a referral of cases made to law enforcement agencies, national database clearinghouses or other licensing boards.

H. The board shall not initiate a disciplinary action more than two years after the date that it receives a complaint.

I. The time limitation contained in Subsection D of this section shall not be tolled by any civil or criminal litigation in which the licensee or applicant is a party, arising substantially from the same facts, conduct, transactions or occurrences that would be the basis for the board's disciplinary action.

J. The board may recover the costs associated with the investigation and disposition of a disciplinary proceeding from the person who is the subject of the proceeding.

History: Laws 2017, ch. 136, § 6.

Effective dates. — Laws 2017, ch. 136 contained no effective date provision, but, pursuant to N.M. Const., art. IV, § 23, was effective June 16, 2017, 90 days after the adjournment of the legislature.