Section 685.

(a) (1) A board may cite and fine a currently licensed health care practitioner if he or she is in default on a United States Department of Health and Human Services education loan, including a Health Education Assistance Loan.

(2) Each board that issues citations and imposes fines shall retain the money from these fines for deposit into its appropriate fund.

(b) The board may deny a license to an applicant to be a health care practitioner or deny renewal of a license if he or she is in default on a United States Department of Health and Human Services education loan, including a Health Education Assistance Loan, until the default is cleared or until the applicant or licensee has made satisfactory repayment arrangements.

(c) In determining whether to issue a citation and the amount of the fine to a health care practitioner or to deny a license to an applicant to be a health care practitioner or to deny the renewal of a license, a board shall take into consideration the following:

(1) The population served by the health care practitioner.

(2) The health care practitioner's economic status.

(d) For purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(1) "Board" means a licensing board or agency having jurisdiction of a licensee, but does not include the Board of Chiropractic Examiners.

(2) "Health care practitioner" means a person licensed or certified pursuant to this division or licensed pursuant to the Osteopathic Initiative Act.

(e) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2003.

(Added by Stats. 2002, Ch. 683, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2003. Section operative July 1, 2003, by its own provisions.)