07 HB 626/AP
House
Bill 626 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE)
By:
Representatives Graves of the
12th,
Rynders of the
152nd,
Lunsford of the
110th,
Cooper of the
41st,
and Peake of the
137th
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Chapter 34 of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to physicians, acupuncture, physician´s assistants, cancer and glaucoma
treatment, respiratory care, clinical perfusionists, and orthotics and
prosthetics practice, so as to provide for a maximum number of continuing
education hours that retired physicians providing uncompensated health care
services shall be required to complete; to provide for related matters; to
repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Chapter
34 of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
physicians, acupuncture, physician´s assistants, cancer and glaucoma
treatment, respiratory care, clinical perfusionists, and orthotics and
prosthetics practice, is amended in Code Section 43-34-3, relating to continuing
education requirements for physicians and others, as follows:
"43-34-3.
(a)(1)
The board shall be authorized to require persons seeking renewal of a license or
certificate under this chapter to complete board approved continuing education
of not less than 40 hours biennially. The board shall be authorized to approve
courses offered by institutions of higher learning, specialty societies, or
professional organizations, including, but not limited to, the American Medical
Association, the National Medical Association, and the American Osteopathic
Association, the number of hours required, and the category in which these hours
should be earned. This paragraph shall not apply to respiratory care
professionals or persons seeking renewal of certification as respiratory care
professionals.
(2)
The board shall be authorized to require persons seeking renewal of
certification as respiratory care professionals under Article 6 of this chapter
to complete board approved continuing education. The board shall be authorized
to establish the number of hours of continuing education required biennially for
renewal of certification as a respiratory care professional and the categories
in which these hours should be earned. The board shall be authorized to approve
courses offered by institutions of higher learning, specialty societies, or
professional organizations. Any action taken by the board pursuant to this
paragraph shall be taken in conformity with the provisions of Code Section
43-34-143.
(b)(1)
The board shall be authorized to waive the continuing education requirement in
cases of hardship, disability, illness, or in cases where physicians or
physicians´ assistants are serving in fellowships, new specialty
residencies, postgraduate specialty programs, the United States Congress, or
under such other circumstances as the board deems appropriate.
(2)
The board shall require no more than 20 hours of continuing education annually
for retired physicians who have an active license and who provide uncompensated
health care services pursuant to Code Section 43-34-45.1 or Article 8 of Chapter
8 of Title 31; provided, however, the board shall be authorized to require up to
40 hours of continuing education for retired physicians who have not had an
active license to practice medicine for up to five years.
(c)
The board shall be authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to implement
and ensure compliance with the requirements of this Code section.
(d)
This Code section shall apply to each licensing, certification, and renewal
cycle which begins after the 1990-1991 renewal."
SECTION
2.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.