§30-3-12. Biennial renewal of license to practice medicine and surgery or podiatry; continuing education; rules; fee; inactive license; denial for conviction of felony offense.

(a) A license to practice medicine and surgery or podiatry in this state is valid for a term of two years.

(b) The license shall be renewed:

(1) Upon receipt of a reasonable fee, as set by the board;

(2) Submission of an application on forms provided by the board; and

(3) A certification of participation in and successful completion of a minimum of fifty hours of continuing medical or podiatric education satisfactory to the board, as appropriate to the particular license, during the preceding two-year period.

(c) The application may not require disclosure of a voluntary agreement entered into pursuant to subsection (h), section nine of this article.

(d) Continuing medical education satisfactory to the board is continuing medical education designated as Category I by the American Medical Association or the Academy of Family Physicians and alternate categories approved by the board.

(e) Continuing podiatric education satisfactory to the board is continuing podiatric education approved by the Council on Podiatric Education and alternate categories approved by the board.

(f) Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter to the contrary, beginning July 1, 2007, failure to timely submit to the board a certification of successful completion of a minimum of fifty hours of continuing medical or podiatric education satisfactory to the board, as appropriate to the particular license, shall result in the automatic expiration of any license to practice medicine and surgery or podiatry until such time as the certification, with all supporting written documentation, is submitted to and approved by the board.

(g) If a license is automatically expired and reinstatement is sought within one year of the automatic expiration, the former licensee shall:

(1) Provide certification with supporting written documentation of the successful completion of the required continuing education;

(2) Pay a renewal fee; and

(3) Pay a reinstatement fee equal to fifty percent of the renewal fee.

(h) If a license is automatically expired and more than one year has passed since the automatic expiration, the former licensee shall:

(1) Apply for a new license;

(2) Provide certification with supporting written documentation of the successful completion of the required continuing education; and

(3) Pay such fees as determined by the board.

(i) Any individual who accepts the privilege of practicing medicine and surgery or podiatry in this state is required to provide supporting written documentation of the continuing education represented as received within thirty days of receipt of a written request to do so by the board. If a licensee fails or refuses to provide supporting written documentation of the continuing education represented as received as required in this section, such failure or refusal to provide supporting written documentation is prima facie evidence of renewing a license to practice medicine and surgery or podiatry by fraudulent misrepresentation.

(j) The board may renew, on an inactive basis, the license of a physician or podiatrist who is currently licensed to practice medicine and surgery or podiatry in, but is not actually practicing, medicine and surgery or podiatry in this state. A physician or podiatrist holding an inactive license shall not practice medicine and surgery or podiatry in this state.

(k) An inactive license may be converted by the board to an active license upon a written request by the licensee to the board that:

(1) Accounts for his or her period of inactivity to the satisfaction of the board; and

(2) Submits written documentation of participation in and successful completion of a minimum of fifty hours of continuing medical or podiatric education satisfactory to the board, as appropriate to the particular license, during each preceding two-year period.

(l) An inactive license may be obtained upon receipt of a reasonable fee, as set by the board, and submission of an application on forms provided by the board on a biennial basis.

(m) The board may not require any physician or podiatrist who is retired or retiring from the active practice of medicine and surgery or the practice of podiatry and who is voluntarily surrendering their license to return to the board the license certificate issued to them by the board.

(n) The board may deny or refuse to reissue a license to any person who has been convicted of a felony under the laws of this state, any other state, the United States or the laws of any other country or state outside of the United States.