§ 40-47-11 — Medical Disciplinary Commission; qualifications of members; hearings; service as expert witnesses.

South Carolina § 40-47-11

• Jurisdiction: South Carolina
• Title 40: PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS
• Ch. 47: PHYSICIANS AND MISCELLANEOUS HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS

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(A) There is created the Medical Disciplinary Commission of the State Board of Medical Examiners to be composed of thirty-five physician members appointed by the board and seven lay members appointed by the Governor. The physician members of the commission must be licensed physicians practicing their profession, and they must be without prior disciplinary action or conviction of a felony or other crime of moral turpitude. Five physician commissioners must be appointed from each of the seven congressional districts and must reside in the district, which they are appointed to represent. The members of the commission are limited to three consecutive terms. A member of the Board of Medical Examiners may not simultaneously serve as a commissioner. In case of a vacancy by way of death, resignation, or otherwise, the board shall appoint a successor to serve for the unexpired portion of the term. Where justice, fairness, or other circumstances so require, the board may appoint past commissioners to hear complaints in individual cases. (B) All lay commissioners must hold a baccalaureate degree or higher, must not have been convicted of a felony or other crime of moral turpitude, and must not be employed or have a member of their immediate family employed in a health or medically related field. One lay commissioner must be appointed by the Governor from each of the seven congressional districts, with the advice and consent of the Senate. Each lay commissioner must be a registered voter and reside in the congressional district he represents throughout his term. Each lay commissioner initially appointed from each district shall serve for a term of three years and until his successor is appointed and qualified. Vacancies must be filled in the manner of the original appointment for the remainder of the unexpired portion of the term. The Governor may appoint a lay commissioner to serve a full term; however, a lay commissioner may not serve more than three consecutive terms. (C) The commission is empowered to hear those formal complaints filed against practitioners authorized to practice under this chapter, unless otherwise provided in this chapter. These hearings must be conducted in accordance with the Administrative Procedures Act and with regulations promulgated by the Board of Medical Examiners and must be before a panel composed of not more than three physician commissioners and one lay commissioner. The panel is empowered to hear the matters complained of and to recommend findings of fact and conclusions of law to the board. The panel shall submit a certified report of its proceedings, including its findings of fact, conclusions of law, and mitigating and aggravating circumstances, for consideration by the board in rendering a final decision and shall file this report with the department. (D) The physician members of the commission may serve as expert reviewers and witnesses in investigations and proceedings pursuant to this chapter. A physician commissioner who serves as an expert reviewer or witness in an investigation or proceeding may not serve on the hearing panel for that particular matter or related matters.

Legislative History

HISTORY: 2006 Act No. 385, SECTION 1; 2012 Act No. 222, SECTION 9, eff June 7, 2012. Editor's Note 2012 Act No. 222, SECTION 15, provides as follows: "SECTION 15. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, any person elected or appointed to serve, or serving, as a member of any board, commission, or committee to represent a congressional district, whose residency is transferred to another district by a change in the composition of the district, may serve, or continue to serve, the term of office for which he was elected or appointed; however, the appointing or electing authority shall appoint or elect an additional member on that board, commission, or committee from the district which loses a resident member on it as a result of the transfer to serve until the term of the transferred member expires. When a vacancy occurs in the district to which a member has been transferred, the vacancy must not be filled until the full term of the transferred member expires." Effect of Amendment The 2012 amendment rewrote subsection (A); substituted "One" for "Two", "commissioner" for "commissioners", and "seven" for "six" in subsection (B); and, inserted "of Medical Examiners" in subsection (C).