The Florida Senate

459.008  Renewal of licenses and certificates.--

(1)  The department shall renew a license or certificate upon receipt of the renewal application and fee. An applicant for a renewed license must also submit the information required under s. 456.039 to the department on a form and under procedures specified by the department, along with payment in an amount equal to the costs incurred by the Department of Health for the statewide criminal background check of the applicant. The applicant must submit a set of fingerprints to the Department of Health on a form and under procedures specified by the department, along with payment in an amount equal to the costs incurred by the department for a national criminal background check of the applicant for the initial renewal of his or her license after January 1, 2000. If the applicant fails to submit either the information required under s. 456.039 or a set of fingerprints to the department as required by this section, the department shall issue a notice of noncompliance, and the applicant will be given 30 additional days to comply. If the applicant fails to comply within 30 days after the notice of noncompliance is issued, the department or board, as appropriate, may issue a citation to the applicant and may fine the applicant up to $50 for each day that the applicant is not in compliance with the requirements of s. 456.039. The citation must clearly state that the applicant may choose, in lieu of accepting the citation, to follow the procedure under s. 456.073. If the applicant disputes the matter in the citation, the procedures set forth in s. 456.073 must be followed. However, if the applicant does not dispute the matter in the citation with the department within 30 days after the citation is served, the citation becomes a final order and constitutes discipline. Service of a citation may be made by personal service or certified mail, restricted delivery, to the subject at the applicant's last known address. If an applicant has submitted fingerprints to the department for a national criminal history check upon initial licensure and is renewing his or her license for the first time, then the applicant need only submit the information and fee required for a statewide criminal history check.

(2)  The department shall adopt rules establishing a procedure for the biennial renewal of licenses and certificates issued under this chapter.

(3)  The licensee or certificateholder must have on file with the department the address of her or his primary place of practice within this state prior to engaging in that practice. Prior to changing the address of her or his primary place of practice, whether or not within this state, the licensee or certificateholder must notify the department of the address of her or his new primary place of practice.

(4)  The board shall, by rule, prescribe continuing education programs and courses, not to exceed 40 hours biennially, as a condition for renewal of a license. Such programs and courses must build on the basic educational requirements for licensure as an osteopathic physician and must be approved by the board.

(5)  Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 456.033, an osteopathic physician may complete continuing education on end-of-life and palliative health care in lieu of continuing education in AIDS/HIV, if that physician has completed the AIDS/HIV continuing education in the immediately preceding biennium.

History.--ss. 1, 6, ch. 79-230; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; ss. 9, 27, 29, ch. 86-290; s. 31, ch. 88-1; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 2, ch. 92-22; s. 166, ch. 94-119; s. 215, ch. 97-103; s. 137, ch. 97-237; s. 13, ch. 97-273; s. 51, ch. 98-166; s. 11, ch. 99-331; s. 110, ch. 2000-160.