Maryland Health Occupations Section 3-5A-09

      (a)      Subject to the hearing provisions of § 3-315 of this title, the Board may deny a certificate or registration to any applicant, reprimand any certificate holder or registration holder, place any certificate holder or registration holder on probation, or suspend or revoke the certificate of a certificate holder or the registration of a registration holder if the applicant, certificate holder, or registration holder:

            (1)      Fraudulently or deceptively obtains or attempts to obtain a certificate or registration for the applicant or for another;

            (2)      Fraudulently or deceptively uses a certificate or registration;

            (3)      Is disciplined by a licensing, certifying, or disciplinary authority of any other state or country or convicted or disciplined by a court of any state or country for an act that would be grounds for disciplinary action under this section;

            (4)      Is convicted of or pleads guilty or nolo contendere to a felony or to a crime involving moral turpitude, whether or not any appeal or other proceeding is pending to have the conviction or plea set aside;

            (5)      Willfully and knowingly:

                  (i)      Files a false report or record of an individual under the care of the certificate holder or registration holder; or

                  (ii)      Gives any false or misleading information about a material matter in an employment application;

            (6)      Knowingly does any act that has been determined by the Board, in its regulations, to exceed the scope of practice authorized to the individual under this subtitle;

            (7)      Provides professional services while:

                  (i)      Under the influence of alcohol; or

                  (ii)      Using any narcotic or controlled dangerous substance, as defined in § 5-101 of the Criminal Law Article, or other drug that is in excess of therapeutic amounts or without valid medical indication;

            (8)      Does an act that is inconsistent with generally accepted professional standards in the practice of massage therapy;

            (9)      Is negligent in the practice of massage therapy;

            (10)      Is professionally incompetent;

            (11)      Has violated any provision of this subtitle;

            (12)      Submits a false statement to collect a fee;

            (13)      Is physically or mentally incompetent;

            (14)      Knowingly fails to report suspected child abuse in violation of § 5-704 of the Family Law Article;

            (15)      Refuses, withholds from, denies, or discriminates against an individual with regard to the provision of professional services for which the certificate holder or registration holder is qualified to render because the individual is HIV positive;

            (16)      Except in an emergency life-threatening situation where it is not feasible or practicable, fails to comply with the Centers for Disease Control's guidelines on universal precautions;

            (17)      Is habitually intoxicated;

            (18)      Is addicted to, or habitually abuses, any narcotic or controlled dangerous substance as defined in § 5-101 of the Criminal Law Article;

            (19)      Fails to cooperate with a lawful investigation conducted by the Board;

            (20)      Engages in conduct that violates the professional code of ethics; or

            (21)      Knowingly does an act that has been determined by the Board to be a violation of the Board's regulations.

      (b)      If, after a hearing under § 3-315 of this title, the Board finds that there are grounds under subsection (a) of this section to suspend or revoke a certificate to practice massage therapy or registration to practice non-therapeutic massage, to reprimand a certificate holder or registration holder, or place a certificate holder or registration holder on probation, the Board may impose a penalty not exceeding $5,000 in lieu of or in addition to suspending or revoking the certificate or registration, reprimanding the certificate holder or registration holder, or placing the certificate holder or registration holder on probation.

      (c)      (1)      An individual whose certificate or registration has been suspended or revoked by the Board shall return the certificate or registration to the Board.

            (2)      If the suspended or revoked certificate or registration has been lost, the individual shall file with the Board a verified statement to that effect.

      (d)      The Board shall file a notice for publication in the earliest publication of the Maryland Register of each revocation or suspension of a certificate or registration under this section within 24 hours of the revocation or suspension.