(A) The Board of Podiatry, if it has just cause, shall notify a licensee not less than thirty days before a scheduled hearing of its intention to suspend or revoke the license of the licensee. The notice must specify the alleged grounds for suspension or revocation and offer the licensee reasonable opportunity to be heard in answer to the allegations. The decision to suspend or revoke the license must be by majority vote of the total membership of the board. A decision of the board to revoke or suspend a license is subject to review by an administrative law judge as provided under Article 5 of Chapter 23 of Title 1.

(B) A decision to suspend or revoke a license by the board is effective upon delivery of a copy of the decision to the licensee, and a petition for review by an administrative law judge is not a supersedeas. The grounds for revocation or suspension of a license are a satisfactory showing to the board that a holder of a license:

(1) used a false, fraudulent, or forged statement or document or practiced a fraudulent, deceitful, or dishonest act in connection with a licensing requirement;

(2) has been convicted of a felony or other crime involving moral turpitude, drugs, or gross immorality;

(3) is addicted to alcohol or drugs to such a degree as to render the podiatrist unfit to practice podiatry;

(4) has been convicted of the illegal or unauthorized practice of podiatry;

(5) has knowingly performed an act which in any way assists an unlicensed person to practice podiatry;

(6) has sustained a physical or mental disability which renders further practice by the podiatrist dangerous to the public;

(7) has engaged in advertising for the practice of podiatry in a manner that is deceptive or untruthful;

(8) is guilty of the performance of dishonorable, unethical, or unprofessional conduct that is likely to deceive, defraud, or harm the public;

(9) is guilty of the use of a false or fraudulent statement in a document connected with the practice of podiatry;

(10) is guilty of obtaining fees or assisting in obtaining fees under dishonorable, false, or fraudulent circumstances; or

(11) has violated or attempted to violate, directly or indirectly, or is assisting in or abetting the violation or conspiring to violate a provision or term of this chapter or a regulation promulgated under this chapter.

(C) In addition to all other remedies and actions incorporated in this chapter, the license of a person adjudged mentally incompetent by a court of competent jurisdiction is automatically suspended by the board until the person is adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction or in any other manner provided by law as being restored to mental competency.

(D) In enforcing subsections (B)(3) and (6), the board upon just cause may require a licensee or applicant to submit to a mental or physical examination by a physician mutually agreed to by the licensee or applicant and the board. If agreement is not reached, an administrative law judge may appoint a physician to conduct the examination. The results of an examination are admissible in a hearing before the board, notwithstanding a claim of privilege under any other provision of law. A person who accepts the privilege of practicing podiatry in this State or who files an application for a license to practice podiatry in this State is deemed to have consented to submit to a mental or physical examination and to have waived all objections to the admissibility of the results in a hearing before the board upon the grounds of a privileged communication. If a licensee or applicant fails to submit to an examination when properly directed by the board, unless the failure was due to circumstances beyond the person's control, the board shall enter an order automatically suspending or denying the license pending compliance and further order of the board. A licensee or applicant who is prohibited from practicing podiatry under this subsection must be afforded at reasonable intervals an opportunity to demonstrate to the board the ability to resume or begin the practice of podiatry with reasonable skill and safety to patients.

(E) In enforcing subsections (B)(3) and (6), the board upon just cause may obtain records relating to the mental or physical condition of a licensee or applicant including, but not limited to, psychiatric records. These records are admissible in a hearing before the board, notwithstanding any other provision of law, if there is a prior showing that the past mental or physical condition of the licensee or applicant relates to a condition which may render the licensee or applicant unfit to practice podiatry. A person who accepts the privilege of practicing podiatry in this State or who files an application to practice podiatry in this State is deemed to have consented to the board obtaining these records and to have waived all objections to the admissibility of these records in a hearing before the board upon the grounds of a privileged communication. If a licensee or applicant refuses to sign a written consent for the board to obtain these records when properly requested by the board, unless the failure was due to circumstances beyond the person's control, the board shall enter an order automatically suspending or denying the license pending compliance and further order of the board. A licensee or applicant who is prohibited from practicing podiatry under this subsection must be afforded at reasonable intervals an opportunity to demonstrate to the board the ability to resume or begin the practice of podiatry with reasonable skill and safety to patients.

(F) The board may impose a fine of up to five hundred dollars for each violation of this chapter or of a regulation promulgated under this chapter; however, the total fine may not exceed five thousand dollars. All fines must be remitted to the State Treasurer and deposited in a special fund from which the board must be reimbursed upon the approval of the State Department of Administration for administrative costs associated with each complaint or alleged violation. At any time the revenue in this fund exceeds twenty thousand dollars, all funds in excess of twenty thousand dollars must be remitted to the general fund. Fines are payable immediately upon the effective date of the board's action imposing the fine. Interest accrues after fines are due at the maximum rate allowed by law. The license of a person against whom a fine is imposed may not be reinstated until the fine has been paid in full.

HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 56-1543.15; 1952 Code Section 56-314; 1942 Code Section 5231-6; 1935 (39) 180; 1960 (51) 1717; 1988 Act No. 467, Section 1; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 926; 1996 Act No. 241, Section 8.

Code Commissioner's Note

At the direction of the Code Commissioner, references in this section to the offices of the former State Budget and Control Board, Office of the Governor, or other agencies, were changed to reflect the transfer of them to the Department of Administration or other entities, pursuant to the directive of the South Carolina Restructuring Act, 2014 Act No. 121, Section 5(D)(1), effective July 1, 2015.