TITLE 22.EXAMINING BOARDS

Part 9. TEXAS STATE BOARD OF MEDICAL EXAMINERS

Chapter 163. LICENSURE

22 TAC §163.5

The Texas State Board of Medical Examiners adopts an amendment to §163.5, concerning licensure, without changes to proposed text as published in the March 17, 2000, issue of the Texas Register (25 TexReg 2261).

This section is being adopted to amend the language regarding photographs that are submitted with licensure applications and documentation required for applicants who have been treated for alcohol/substance abuse or mental illness.

No comments were received regarding adoption of the amendment.

The amendment is adopted under the authority of the Occupations Code, §153.001, which provides the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners to adopt rules and bylaws as necessary to: govern its own proceedings; perform its duties; regulate the practice of medicine in this state; and enforce this subtitle.

This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on June 12, 2000.

TRD-200004119

Bruce A. Levy, M.D., J.D.

Executive Director

Texas State Board of Medical Examiners

Effective date: July 2, 2000

Proposal publication date: March 17, 2000

For further information, please call: (512) 305-7016


Chapter 193. STANDING DELEGATION ORDERS

22 TAC §193.9

The Texas State Board of Medical Examiners adopts new §193.9, concerning pronouncement of death and collaborative management of glaucoma, without changes to the proposed text as published in the April 21, 2000, issue of the Texas Register (25 TexReg 3359). Section 193.10 is being withdrawn elsewhere in this issue of the Texas Register .

Section 193.9 will enable physicians to make a pronouncement of death based on facts given to them by licensed vocational nurses through electronic communication.

One comment was received regarding adoption of the section. The board considered the comment sent by the Board of Licensed Vocational Nurses, but disagreed with the commenter's suggestion that their proposed language added clarity to the rule as it was published.

The new section is adopted under the authority of the Occupations Code, §153.001, which provides the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners to adopt rules and bylaws as necessary to: govern its own proceedings; perform its duties; regulate the practice of medicine in this state; and enforce this subtitle.

This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on June 12, 2000.

TRD-200004120

Bruce A. Levy, M.D., J.D.

Executive Director

Texas State Board of Medical Examiners

Effective date: July 2, 2000

Proposal publication date: April 21, 2000

For further information, please call: (512) 305-7016


Part 19. POLYGRAPH EXAMINERS BOARD

Chapter 391. POLYGRAPH EXAMINER INTERNSHIP

22 TAC §§391.2 - 391.5, 391.8 - 391.10

The Polygraph Examiners Board adopts amendments to §§391.2, 391.3, 391.4, 391.5, 391.8, 391.9 and new §391.10, concerning the Polygraph Examiner Internship, with changes to the proposed text as published in the March 24, 2000, issue of the Texas Register (25 TexReg 2529). The text in its entirety will be republished.

The Board has determined that the rule on approved schools is outdated and refers the public to the Board office for current information. A definition to clarify the commencement of the intern licensing period was added.

The changes made to the rules are non substantive and are as follows:

Throughout each section the word "board" was changed to be capitalized and now reads as "Board".

In §391.3(16) the words "and/or Executive Officer" were added to read as follows: "The Secretary of the Board and/or the Executive Officer may approve an intern applicant who meets the qualifications set forth in §391.2 of this title (relating to Procedure and Qualifications) and:" This was inadvertently omitted from the proposal and has been changed to be consistent with §391.3(16)(C) which states the same thing.

In §391.4(6) the word "portion" has been changed to "phase" to be consistent with the proposal. Originally, the word "portion" was changed to "phase" throughout proposed §391.4 Twice, this was inadvertently omitted when proposed. Section 391.4(6) now reads as follows: "Failure to pass any phase of the examination shall require such person to retake that phase failed. No polygraph examiner's license shall be issued until the intern has passed all phases of the examination."

No comments were received regarding adoption of the amendments and new rule.

The amendments and new section are adopted under the Polygraph Examiners Act, Article 4413 (29cc), §6, which provides the Board with the authority to prescribe, adopt, and enforce rules relating to the administration and enforcement of the provisions of the Polygraph Examiners Act, Article 4413 (29cc).

§391.2.Procedure and Qualifications.

The procedure and qualifications for obtaining an internship permit shall be as follows.

(1)

Qualifications. A person is qualified to receive an internship permit:

(A)

who has not been convicted of a felony or a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude;

(B)

who holds a baccalaureate degree from a college or university accredited by an organization that the Board designates and that the Board determines has accreditation standards to ensure a high level of scholarship for students, or in lieu thereof, has five consecutive years of active investigative experience immediately preceding his application, which shall consist of two basic elements:

(i)

training-training shall be defined as a minimum of the number and type of hours of instruction necessary to obtain a basic law enforcement certificate issued by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards;

(ii)

application of training-application of training shall be defined as an adequate demonstration, in the opinion of the Board, by the applicant of the required training, as defined herein, on a continuous basis for a five year period, immediately preceding the application.

(C)

who, prior to the issuance of the internship permit, furnishes the Board with evidence of a surety bond or insurance policy in the sum of $5,000. Such bond or insurance policy shall be conditioned that the obligor therein will pay to the extent of the face amount of such surety bond or insurance policy, all judgments which may be recovered against the licensee by reason of any wrongful or illegal acts committed by him in the course of his examinations.

(D)

For current and former Governmental Polygraph Examiners see §391.10 of this title (relating to Procedures and Qualifications of Current and Former Governmental Polygraph Examiners).

(2)

Procedure. A person meeting the qualifications set forth in paragraph (1) of this section who seeks to obtain an internship permit shall proceed as follows.

(A)

Complete fully the internship application furnished by the Board and submit such application along with all other requested information to the Board for approval. In order to allow ample administrative and investigative time, applications must be at the address of the Board at least 10 calendar days prior to the opening date of the Board meeting at which its consideration is being requested.

(B)

An internship permit issued by the Board shall be valid for a term of 12 months from the date of issue. Such permit may be extended or renewed for any term not to exceed six months upon good cause shown to the Board. A trainee or intern shall not be entitled to hold an internship permit after the expiration of the original 12-month period and six-month extension, if such extension is approved by the Board, until 12 months after the date of expiration of the last internship permit held by the said trainee or intern. Provided that any trainee or intern, who, upon completion of his internship program, fails to pass the State Polygraph Examiners Licensing Examination may be required to appear before the Board to discuss the reason for such failure and, in the case of a trainee or intern having completed a 12-month internship program, to show cause why his license should be extended.

§391.3.Internship Training Schedule.

The following internship schedule has been approved and adopted by the Board as a minimum type and number of hours of any internship training program to be utilized in course of supervised instruction:

(1)

History and development of polygraph--four hours.

(2)

Legal and ethical aspects of polygraph.

(A)

Texas Polygraph Examiners Act--10 hours.

(B)

Statements and reports, civil rights, examiner and professional ethics--10 hours.

(3)

Physiology--24 hours.

(A)

Nervous system, autonomic nervous system.

(i)

Sympathetic system.

(ii)

Parasympathetic system.

(B)

Circulatory system and the heart.

(C)

Respiratory system.

(D)

Effects of drugs, alcohol, and illness.

(4)

Psychology--24 hours.

(A)

General.

(B)

Abnormal.

(C)

As applied to polygraphy.

(5)

Interrogation and interviews--100 hours.

(A)

Receiving case briefing.

(B)

Pre-test interview.

(C)

Post-test interview.

(6)

Chart interpretation--120 hours.

(A)

All types of tests and responses.

(B)

Chart marking.

(C)

Test results: No Deception Indicated, Deception Indicated, Inconclusive or No Opinion.

(7)

Question formulation and test construction--120 hours.

(A)

All types of tests.

(B)

All types of questions.

(C)

Semantics.

(8)

Instrumentation--10 hours.

(A)

Construction and maintenance.

(B)

Trouble shooting.

(C)

Nomenclature.

(9)

Summary and general review --10 hours.

(10)

Supervised testing and interviewing--minimum of 30 tests.

(11)

Counseling and critique as required in opinion of sponsor.

(12)

A list of approved polygraph schools shall be maintained in the Board office and will be made available upon request. Those Board approved polygraph schools the Board normally provides a list of current reference material and that information will be made available to sponsor and interns upon request.

(13)

The Board may request and require inspection and review of the internship program of any licensed examiner or internee at any time to ascertain compliance with the program approved by the Board.

(14)

Each sponsoring polygraph examiner shall submit to the Board progress reports every 60 days from the date of Board approval of the internship on each intern on forms furnished by the Board. To serve as a sponsor for an intern polygraph examiner, a Texas licensed polygraph examiner must have held an original Texas polygraph license continuously for at least two years immediately preceding the application and completed a minimum of 40 hours of continuing education in the two years immediately proceeding the sponsorship. Documentation of this continuing education must be on file with the Board office prior to approval of the examiner as a sponsor.

(15)

No licensed examiner shall have more than two interns under his sponsorship at any one time.

(16)

The Secretary of the Board and/or the Executive Officer may approve an intern applicant who meets the qualifications set forth in §391.2 of this title (relating to Procedure and Qualifications) and:

(A)

who is a graduate of a polygraph examiners course approved by the Board and has completed not less than six months of internship training; or

(B)

who is not a graduate of an approved polygraph examiners course and has completed not less than 12 months of internship training; and

(C)

the Executive Officer may approve an intern applicant who meets the qualifications set forth in §391.2 of this title (relating to Procedure and Qualifications).

(17)

The intern licensing period shall begin:

(A)

on the date of the first class day, of a Board approved polygraph basic school and continue as long as the intern maintains a passing grade in that class provided the intern has, prior to the commencement of the school, completed all of the requirements for the intern license;

(B)

if the school has begun and the applicant has not completed all of the requirements for licensure, the internship shall begin on the date the applicant is approved for the intern license; or

(C)

if the applicant is not a graduate of an approved polygraph examiners course but intends to complete not less than 12 months of internship training; the internship shall begin on the date the applicant is approved for the intern license by the Board.

§391.4.State Examinations for Polygraph Examiner License.

State examinations for polygraph examiner license shall conform with the following.

(1)

When an intern becomes eligible, as provided by law, the intern may take the state examination for a polygraph examiners license under the direct supervision of the Board.

(2)

Such examinations shall be held at Austin, Texas, or at other locations designated by the Board. Persons eligible to take the examination will be notified of the time, date, and location.

(3)

Examinations shall be held at quarterly Board meetings, the dates, locations, and times being designated by the Board.

(4)

Examinations shall consist of and include questions relating to those topics set forth in the internship training schedule and a presentation of actual polygraph examinations conducted by the applicant during their internship training for Board evaluation.

(5)

The grades given by all grading members on the licensing examinations will be totaled and averaged and a grade of 70% must be obtained in order to pass.

(6)

Failure to pass any phase of the examination shall require such person to retake that phase failed. No polygraph examiner's license shall be issued until the intern has passed all phases of the examination.

(7)

Persons failing any phase(s) thereof may retake the phase(s) at the next scheduled examination date, provided that such person is qualified to retake the phase(s) under the law or as set forth herein under the rules and regulations pertaining to interns. Provided further that if any person taking and failing any phase of such examination for the third time, such person shall not be eligible to take another examination until the expiration of 12 months from the date of the last examination, providing such person is otherwise qualified to take such examination by law and under the applicable regulations.

(8)

When an intern fails the original licensing examination, or any phase thereof, the intern shall not be permitted to engage in any actual polygraph testing until such time as the intern and the sponsor have reviewed the failing examination with a member of the Board or a member of the Board's staff at the discretion of the Board chairman. The time, date, and place of the review will be designated by the Board or its staff. The sponsor shall furnish the Chairperson or their designated representative with a written affidavit stating what corrective action will be taken or an oral discussion of those corrective actions acceptable to the Chairperson.

§391.5.Intern Supervision.

The intern sponsor, or a licensed examiner meeting the requirements to be a sponsor, is required to review all examinations conducted by an intern examiner under his/her supervision on a weekly basis. The sponsor or other licensed examiner shall carefully review each test the intern conducts for compliance with the Polygraph Examiners Act, accurate chart interpretation and the principles of quality test administration. The sponsor need NOT be present at the time of the examination. The sponsor is not required to review the charts before an opinion is rendered, but the Intern is required to inform the Examinee that the Intern's opinion of the polygraph examination is preliminary until that examination is reviewed by his sponsor.

§391.8.Applicant With Out-of-State License.

The Board will require a holder of an out-of-state polygraph examiners license to have held that license for a minimum period of two years before they will be considered for licensing under the Polygraph Examiner's Act, §12.

§391.9.Intern Licensure Requirements for Preceptor Trainees.

(a)

An intern polygraph examiner who is not a graduate of an approved polygraph examiners school may qualify to receive his or her intern polygraph examiner's license when the intern has satisfied the Board that he or she is competent to administer polygraph examinations before the issuance of a polygraph intern license, in accordance with the provisions set forth in the Polygraph Examiners Act and the Board's rules and regulations. In order to satisfy the Board of the intern's competency to administer polygraph examinations, the intern shall:

(1)

complete a total of 344 hours of supervised instruction and study until a minimum of 60 days of supervised study time has elapsed, which shall include:

(A)

history and development of polygraph 4 hours;

(B)

legal and ethical aspects of polygraph-20 hours;

(C)

physiology-30 hours;

(D)

psychology-30 hours;

(E)

interrogation and interviews-75 hours;

(F)

chart interpretation-75 hours;

(G)

question formulation and test construction-100 hours;

(H)

instrumentation-10 hours; and

(2)

appear before the Board at the next regularly scheduled meeting to determine the intern's competency to administer polygraph examinations.

(b)

These additional requirements do not supercede the basic requirements set forth in §391.3 of this title (relating to Internship Training Schedule), but will exist in addition to those requirements.

§391.10.Procedures and Qualifications of Current and Former Governmental Polygraph Examiners.

(a)

All provisions of the Polygraph Examiners Act and Chapters 391, 393, 395 and 397 of that Act apply to applicants that are current or former governmental polygraph examiners except as follows:

(1)

In lieu of a six month or twelve month internship program as defined in §8 (a) (3) of the Act, an applicant who is serving, or within two years prior to the date the applicant's application was received in the Board's office has served, as a polygraph examiner in a governmental agency, may qualify to sit for a licensing examination by providing to the Board appropriate documentation showing that the applicant satisfies each of the following conditions:

(A)

That the applicant graduated from a polygraph course that is approved by the Board; and

(B)

That the applicant is, or was, authorized by their governmental agency to conduct polygraph examinations for that agency for a period of at least six months or longer; and

(C)

That the applicant participated in a quality control program administered by his/her governmental agency which quality control program reviewed 100% of the applicant's polygraph examinations; and

(D)

That the applicant was not the subject of any action on the part of their governmental agency that removed the applicant's polygraph authorization during the course of the applicant's employment; and

(E)

That the Board obtains in writing from the applicant's polygraph program manager that the applicant qualifies under subparagraphs (A)-(D) of this paragraph.

(2)

All other provisions for a current or former governmental polygraph examiner applying for a Texas Polygraph Examiners License shall remain the same as currently stated in the Polygraph Examiners Act and only the definition of the "internship" is hereby modified.

(b)

The provisions of §391.10 are intended to cover the issuance of a Texas Polygraph Examiner's License to a current and/or former governmental polygraph examiner, regardless of their residency, for polygraph testing in the State of Texas only.

This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on June 8, 2000.

TRD-200004051

Frank DiTucci

Executive Officer

Polygraph Examiners Board

Effective date: June 28, 2000

Proposal publication date: March 24, 2000

For further information, please call: (512) 424-2058


Chapter 401. GRIEVANCE REVIEW OF DISCIPLINARY ACTION

22 TAC §401.1

The Polygraph Examiners Board adopts an amendment to §401.1, concerning the Grievance Review of Disciplinary Action of Employees, with changes to the proposed text as published in the March 24, 2000, issue of the Texas Register (25 TexReg 2532). The text in its entirety will be republished.

The Board has determined that the rule is outdated.

The changes made to the rule are non substantive and are as follows:

Throughout §401.1 the word "board" was changed to be capitalized and now reads as "Board".

No comments were received regarding adoption of the amendment.

The amendment is adopted under the Polygraph Examiners Act, Article 4413 (29cc), §6, which provides the Board with the authority to prescribe, adopt, and enforce rules relating to the administration and enforcement of the provisions of the Polygraph Examiners Act, Article 4413 (29cc).

§401.1.Grievance Policy.

(a)

Policy. It is the policy of the Polygraph Examiners Board to receive and process points of contention concerning disciplinary action when an employee or former employee makes proper application. Such requests shall be processed in a fair and prompt manner. However, the procedures outlined in this section do not apply to employees who have completed less than six months of their current period of service.

(1)

No employee shall be disciplined, penalized, coerced, or otherwise prejudiced in employment for exercising the rights provided for in this policy.

(2)

In exercising any of the rights provided for by this policy, an employee may represent himself or may be represented by an attorney at his own expense.

(3)

An employee who has become involved in a grievance hearing at his own request may not thereafter refuse to answer or reply to questions related to the review. If such should occur, the review or appeal procedure will be discontinued, and the employee will have forfeited the right to this hearing.

(b)

Grievance Hearing Officer. The chairman may designate the grievance hearing officer. The hearing officer will be responsible for the integrity of the hearing process, will maintain an orderly procedure, and will assure a fair and impartial hearing. He may appoint a sergeant-at-arms if he deems it necessary. He will restrict the employee's plea and evidence to the points of contention set forth in the employee's written request for a hearing. In addition, he may request the attendance or testimony of any agency member and order further investigation as he deems necessary. The hearing officer will use his personal discretion in determining who shall appear before a hearing.

(c)

Grievance Board Hearing Committee. The committee will be appointed by the chairman and shall consist of not more than three members. The chairman may sit as a member of the committee. All committee members must be Board members at the time of the hearing. Committee members, who the chairman determines have a real or apparent conflict of interest in the outcome of the proceedings, are not eligible to participate. In such cases, the chairman shall appoint another Board member to sit on the committee during the proceedings.

(d)

Grievance Board Hearing Committee Procedures. Employees who qualify for a hearing before the grievance Board hearing committee, and desire to exercise this right must submit a written request to the Chairman of the Board. This written request must contain the points of contention of the employee, a statement that an attorney will or will not represent the employee, and the names of any agency members or other persons the employee desires to have present for the purpose of presenting evidence or giving testimony.

(1)

The request for a hearing must be received by the Chairman of the Board within 10 days from the date that the employee receives formal written notice of disciplinary action. A claim that the written notice of disciplinary action was not received by the employee will not be a defense. When properly appealed, disciplinary action will be stayed pending the grievance Board hearing.

(2)

Once all preliminary matters have been resolved, proper written notice containing the date, location, and other pertinent information will be furnished to the employee. Included in this notice will be the chairman's selection for the members to serve on the grievance Board hearing committee.

(3)

All documents that either party intends to present at the hearing will be furnished to the opposing party no later than 10 days prior to the hearing. Any document not timely produced to the opposing party will not be considered by the committee.

(4)

Either party may request a reporter. The hearing officer will determine if a court reporter is necessary and make arrangements for the reporter to be present. This expense will be paid by the requesting party. Copies of the transcript will be paid for by the parties requesting them. Other expenses incurred by the appealing employee or expenses for witnesses he requests who are not members of this agency must be paid for by the employee.

(5)

The hearing officer may request the presence and assistance of a representative from the attorney general's office at such hearings.

(6)

A finding rendered by a grievance Board hearing committee will be based on majority rule. A finding rendered by a grievance Board hearing committee may take the form of one of the following:

(A)

support the departmental disciplinary action taken;

(B)

recommend a lesser or greater disciplinary action; or

(C)

recommend no disciplinary action to be taken.

(7)

Upon completion of the hearing, the hearing officer will furnish the findings to the Chairman of the Board within 10 days from the conclusion of the hearing. The Chairman of the Board will report the findings to the employee within 10 days of the Chairman of the Board's receipt of the findings.

(8)

Attorneys participating in the hearing process are reminded that this hearing is not being conducted under rigid judicial procedure, but is to be conducted informally but orderly. Testimony shall be taken under oath.

This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on June 8, 2000.

TRD-200004052

Frank DiTucci

Executive Officer

Polygraph Examiners Board

Effective date: June 28, 2000

Proposal publication date: March 24, 2000

For further information, please call: (512) 424-2058