Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion

675 OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS AUBTIN xmlrett w. Wlsoa, D.O. Term 3t8te Boclrd of Mediaal $;rmdnerr lll(rlll5 t&dlcat Arta BUildi!a@ 3e5 Ant6nl0, Tsxer ,," / ,/'j Deer §ir: E;vWQtt iv.W 18011,I?.o.,FagQ 2 a board of mdloal exQminer8 for ecoh of the aSQYQr81, separate Qohoola of mediofne, wkioh board8 Qxamino In the Qume fundamental eubjeots and w!iloh @ant liOQO888 ior auoh rQQpQOtiV8 aobo4le of medicine all of whioh lloenaas ellarr ldeatloal prlrllegea aa to aoope of praotioe. Thla differ8 iram the *oompaaite* typa of board, aa In TexnQ, where the Bonrd ia aompoaed of prootitionare of all of the reoOgnleQd i30h0418 of medlolne and whioh grants lioensea, idQnti- oal la 611 respote, to preotitlonera in all 4r the reoognized Qotoola of praotloe. Would it not be ln tlolatlon OS Art.1418 Slxtc-on (la), Seotion thirty one (31) of tha TfxM Conatftutlon, provldlngr -'The LQgiQlRtUrQ may pa68 18~8 prQ- aarlblag the uualiflaationa or praotioe of aedioine fn this State, and to punlah peraotm for mal-praotioe, but no prefer- lnoe shall e)oQrbe given by law to any aohoola a? medlolne.', and in rlolatian of ArtiolQ 4SO4, R.C.S.,(lWb), es amended 1939 in llouaeBill #l+E1wbioh opens with thld declaratloat ?gNothing in this Chapter shall be 80 oonatrued ns to dlaorlminate against any pnrtloular aohool or system of medl- oal practice, * * * ’ for the Tcxna Bwrd of YQdloal Exaslnorr to grant a lfoenso by reolprooity to a lloanaer of one of Quuohboard8 of auoh f0rQign at&to Qnd to deny to a lfoonaee of another of auoh board8 of thet SBPPQ stste a lioQ8180 by reOipr4Ui0y.Q (3). 'An applicant fo r l 1loaneQ to pvao- tie0 me6141n8 in Taxa preaenta a liQanQ* grant- ad by another Stat? wbioh reeds *To Prscrtioa Oateapethyf, wbioh applfoant haa 80owea auoh lioenne by Qxaminetlon in fluMemental QubjeotQ, as rewired by Teram law tar admlsaiQn by ex- Evwett W. *Ilaon, D.O., kege 3 amination in Texae, and wliloha;plIoant 821joy- ed in the fCrQign state, the 8anzeUnliuiItad prfrilsge8 and eoope of praotioe as are lcjoyed by praotlticcerrrin Teras. *Should txt the Tcxaa Board of Medlocl Fix- miners f4llow the opinion of the Attorney Oeneral of Tax.85numbered O-1896, farrued3sptQn- her 8th. 1939, end to grant, by reolproolty, auah eppllaant 8 lioeme to praotioe medicine In Texas.* Artlole 4501, a8 mended, Vernonfa Annotated Civil Statutea, providee: *All eppllceata tar lloenoo to praotioo ned1ol.m in ttie State not otherwieo lioanaad under tho pro~ielona of law mu88 auoooe8tully pass 88 aaadcatioc by the Board of Yedloal Irim enhers. The Board i0 authorized to 8dopt and Snf4rOO ru.lQa Of prooedure not inOOMiSter& With the 8tatutory requiremsnts. Applioantr t4 be eliglblo for oxmlnatloc muat be oltl8ana of the Unite4 3tetea end muat preaont 88ti8t8OtOry evldonoo to the Bomd th8t they aro 8u?rothan 8wenty-one (i!l)years of age, Of iood aorel 4hara8tor, Who hare oompleted sixty (601 aems- ter h4ur8 o~~opoursea o nedimahdo dh oouraei w% ,"i?oz able, et time & oompleting eama, to the Un'irer- sity ot Texas for oredlt on a Baohelor of Acta Degree OE a Baoholor of Soieaer Degree, end who are graduate8 of bona iida reputable madioal lohool8: e roputabla msdicel SOhOol shall a8In- lain a eourae of icetruotlon of not lea8 th8a four (4) term8 of eight (8) months aaoh# 8h811 give a oourae or icetruotioc In the rucdamental subjeots named in ArtLola 4808 of the Ravlsob Civil Statutes of Texae of lW!BI a8 muended by thle Act3 end shall have the neoorraarytaaoh- icg toroe, and p48eeaa and utillm leboratoriea, lq u l.p ma and nt, ?aollIolea for proper lnatruo- tI4n LO,811 of aaib gubjeota. ApplIoatlona tor examination must be made In uriblng verified by afiidavlt, and filed with the Seoret8ry of 8he Board on forma proaorlbed by the Boar&, lo o o mp a n- Everett W. Wllrron,D-0. page 4 led by a fee of Twenty-five Dollars ($85). ~11 spplloant8 &ail be given dim notioe or tb8 date and pleoo ot auah exsm:natlon. ?rovidad The requimAent or sixty (SO) oompleted s8m8ter hour8 Or OO11OSe mrk, other than in a aedioal sohaol, which oourse8 wwad be aoosptabla, at tb or aapletlng 8am8, to the University Of Texas for oredit on a Baahrlor 0r Art8 Degrea or a Baohblor of Salenae D8grae, besam a part or the above quoted statute In 19S9 by hot of th Forty-elxth Lagielatura, HOUE~ Bill No. 148, SeOt10n S. Ths provl80 to the smuidod statut8 exsmpk etu- dent8 in medical sohoolr whose graduate8 wen 8iig1bl8 for the State Medioal Exsminatlon ptQor to th8 .tfeatlv8 date 0r the aamdsmlt. Opinion No. O-11397of thl8 depart- smut to the Tex-8 State Bosrd of Medloal Exsmlner8. LJ88 hntonio, Texas, by Hon. Ardsll Wllllem8, Aosldsnt Attor- ney thm8ral. IO is to be noted that thi8 opinion i8 restriated to t&s otatu8 0r studsnts enroLLs in mdloal 8OhOOl at the tims the statute 1~18 mended. AS t0 th8 ChtU8 Of &MdUat88 t3f tha 8sJD8 lnsdisal sch0018 who had received their dip10lML8prior to th8 uloption 8eBlO8t.W00110@1 hour8 X’8pUirO- of th8 8irty (60) 0OZrIplet8 ment, we am oomxmte&6 with a question of 8tatutorr ln- terpretatlon, and find it neoe8sary to apply the eetabli8hsd Oanons dr 8tatUtOl'yoon8tructlon to the law beiore u8. ‘fhs 43l’OYiSO Or Axtlele 4501, BUPl’s, 18 not rrae 0r smbiguitr and is 8U808ptible 0r two aonstruation8. The wards "all 8tudent8 regularly enrolled in medical WhoOl8* might mean only thO8s etudents enrolled in ~dioal8ohoola at the tism of the amendmant OZ the law to lnoluds th8 sixty (60) seuumter hours of oollage oourses requirement, or again it might IssarA all stua8nts t&o have been enrolled in suoh medioal whools whether prior to the anend?wnt or at the tim8 Of its enaotm8nt. Evrrett iii. WIleon, D.O. page S The phrase "whose graduate8 are now permitted to tr:kethe medical examination now presorlbed by law In thI5 stvte- desarIbe8 and QUaiIfle8 'Lmedlaril. sohools.~ It la to be noted thst the prOYI80 doe8 not limit Itseii to students wnoww enrolled In me41061 8ohools. Under a liberal oonetruotlon the provicrowill not be given the erfeot 0r excluding graduate8 0r the ~dlchl s~boolr,deeorlbed from taking the examlnatlon beoeuse they have not had sixty (60) hour8 oi oollego work. If they have been regularly enrolled, and have con;leted thnlr oourses, and reonlved a diploma, they are end should be entitled to the same privilege of taking the exm&mtion t8 the regtiariy enrolled student8 et the time of the anendment who have not oompleted their medical sohool oourse. From the language of the Aot we cannot dlsoern an intention of the Le&Islature to di8- criminate between graduates and stUdeut0 Or medlosl 8Ohooh8 *whose grcduatos are now ::ermIttedto take the medloal examiicatlonnon prescribed by law”. It 5ema to ua that both classes of student8 - those who have been enrolled but have gradueted and thO8e eurollsd at time Of amend- ment to statute - rall within the permissive soope or the law. A cont:sry oonstruatlon tkreetens the oonstltu- tlonality oi the law on the theory thet it would oonter bpeclal privilege8 upon one group 0r graduate8 and amount to an arbitrary and unfair dlacrImIn5tlon 8g8inst another group Or gradu&es WhIOh WE8 CUititledt0 take the era&l- atIon at the tins of graduation but tie were subsequently bcrred by a rslluro to be exempted from a ooUr5a requuire- ,%nt made 8ubsequent to their graduation. Two cardinal rules 0r oo;str~atIon are oontrolllng in thi6 situation. First, the courts ~I.11always endeavor to interpret a 5tatute so theta will be oonstItutlonat~:and valid, end ~I.11 deallna to adopt a oonstruotion that wIL1 destroy or nuillry It, If by any reasonable oonstruotlon the enaotment oan be sustainad. Gk:%XB f. ROEIRSOH, 8 S.W. (24) 6SS; a,oct&m Y. cxzm?oN INDR~'RT?DR~SCEGOL DI3T. 888 6.W. 1064; CAT!EY Y, XS.VEli, 242 S.W. 447. 680 ZXerett W. Wilson, 0.0. page 6 secondly, ~lmn the language 0r a 8trrtute18 not oleer, a04 the act I6 susceptible or different 00nStrUotlon8, it will cot be construed so as to operate har8hly, un- Justly, or GIsorlmlnatorIly. That oon8truotlon will be c?doptedwkloh I8 bened On the a68UmptIon thtt the Leg- Islr.tureintended to enaot a iair, just fmd reasonable 18W. ORIZ!~TALZOTZL CO. Y. ORIPFTJii& 33 S.W. 6SE; .JMXL KIqG Y. VOM WAN& ii6Tex. 469; STI<'L'Z v. DIPBSCENSXR, 9 Tcx. 4691 D;-AVIS Y. PAYNE, 199 S.W. 80. Since Artlale 4601, mara, is susosptlble of a rmsonable oonstn+otIon which *ould place grabuate8 en4 students or ffieeioal schools on an equal ba818, we rajeat a construotlon :zhiohraise8 oon8tltutIonal doubts. It students enrollad In medloal schools at the time the Legislature 7laoed the sixty (60) nmester oollege hour8 requirement In hrtlole 4601, tsupr8, are excepted from asetlngtho requirement by all the rule8 of log10 an4 prlr.oIplseof equity, students who had graduate4 prior to the amendment and were in every way qualitled to take era&nations at the tlnteor graduation should not be ad- veraely ~rrectea end bsrrsd rr0m tsklug the examlnatlon bxt;ytdy did not have sixty (60) semester college . In answer to your rimt question, it 18 our opln- ion that under hrtlale 4801, as asmnded Vernon's Annotated CiYil 6tstUte8, an applicant for admiselon for the state msdloal ersmInetlon8 and ror a lloense who had aoqulred hi8 ~eeloal s&o01 dIplors8QUdiiYiUg hIm to take the state radical examinations prior to the amen&ent oi srtl- Cb 4801 in 1989 to i501lldethe k%qUiZWient Of "8Ixty (60) 681 NVerett 'ii'. K;:leon,D.C., ~XS+JS7 semester hcurn of non-medltml ooilo~e oo~raes,~ le not aubjcot to this prorlsion ot the emended article and has a right to take the exeminatfonn d&spite the feat that he does not heve ta hle oredit eixty (60) senmster hour5 of non-medical college oourb08. Article 4500, es amended, Vernon*5 Annotated Civil Statutes, provides for Veolprooal arrangement..* aa tollow8: The State --Bor;rdof Xedloal Exaralnsrsms in ItXlXlon, lqon $Tyiiiz 'by en aFF1+ oaut of 5 lee of iat9 Dollarrr ($501, gract lioenae to preOtiO0 medicine to any reputable yhjsloian who Is a 0ltll;enof the United Stetea, and a graduate of e reputable medioal oollege, or who haa Wallfled on examination for e eertlfloete of media61 ~ualffloatlon for 8 oolnniselonIn the biedicalCorps of the United ,StateeAm4 OT Navy, ana to lloentiatsr of other States s Ter- rltorle8 hiiSin re ulresneiXsTiFmTifiZiT co TG tg~$rdiaZt$hiiZi?o~ose ertab+ h a State, -A$IGiition8 for lf- oen~uiiii ‘iIie-$YXXEG of tkls Art1010 shall be in writing and upon a form to be preooribed by the State Board oi 1eQloal Examlne~8. Said application shall be eoooqanied by a diploma, or a photograph thereof awar4ed to the appli- aant by a reputable me&al oollege, a&l, in the caee OS an &nq or Naval affioer, a oertlfled tramiaript or a oertitlaate , or lioense, or eom- mission issued to the applloent by the Yedloal Corps of the tlnitedStat.88Army OT Navy, or by a lioenee, or a oertlfiea oopy of lloense ta praotioe medlalne, lawrully Issued to the agpll- cMt, upon eX&%Lination,by sore Other %ibte 01 Terrltorg of the United Stabs. Sal8 applioa$Wn mall aloo be aooompanld by a~ affidavit ma40 by ariexeoutloe oftloer of the Ibe&ioalOarpa oi the United Statso Amy or Nay, f&e President Or Yeoretery of the Board of I&ebiaalExaminer8 whicrh issued the said license or by a legally 0bna0i- tuted medioal regl*tretfon 0friabr of the stat4 or gerrltory by *ioh the eertlfleate oc ll~eaee nae granted, and tn whloh the applioatlon folr mediaal registration l.nTerm is based, reoitlng Everett ti. %%lson, D.O., f"sge0 that the aooonpanylng oertifloete or license has not been canceled or revoked, exoept by honorable discharge frorrthe Medical Corps of the United ;itetee&my or Navy, end that the stataslentof the o.ualiflo~tlonsmade in the eppll- oetlon ior ssdioal lloenae In Texee la true and oorreot. Ap~llaante for lioense under the pro- visions of thls Artiole shall eubaorlbe to an oath In writing berore an officer aut&orlzed by law to administer ostho, whioh shell be e part of aald ep~llcatlon, stotlng that the license, 08rtifiOat8, or authority under whloh the appll- oent praotloed medlolne in the State or Territory from whioh the lpplloant removed, was et the time of euoh removal in iull roroe, and not 6u8- pended or osnoeled. Sald epplloatlon 8hall also etste tbat the appllcent la the ldentioal person to whom the said certlilonte, lloenee, or aom- misieion,and the said msdioel diploma were lasued, and that no prooeedlng has been inetituQed against the applloent ror the 0aEcelletion of said oertffloet6, license, or aut&orlty to prao- tloe medlolne in the 5tste or Territory by which the same was issued; an8 thot no proseeutlon l8 pending against the applloant ln any State or Federal eonrt for any offense whleh under the law of Texas la a felony. A reputable phyelolan within the maenin of this Artlola shall be one who would be eligfble for sxadn~~tlon by the Board of Ned5oel Bxamlners under the -,rovlslon#or Ar- tlole 4506 of the Rerieed Civil statute* ot Tow of l9~5, as emended by this Aot. A reputable medloel oollege within the meadnng of this Art%- ole shall be suoh ee la defined in Artlole 4501 of the Revieed Civil Statu~eo O? TeXetIOf 1988, as amended by this Aot. It is prorlded, however, that the Board may, under the prorlelona of thi8 Artiole, In ltn diaoretion, grant lloenae to any reputable pbyalolan of another State, Trrrritory, or District, who graduated prior to the year 1909 rrom a medloal oollege tilah at the time of hi8 graduation reculred OR; three 3 OOUTSO~ O? In- etruotlon of net leas tK an six I6 I months eaoh ior attainment of lte diploma, or the degree of! Doctor or tiedloine,end whlah at the time of hia graduetlon ma generally reeognlaed by the medioal l 683 Evurett '8.iY:leor,, D.0;. page 0 examlnlng board8 of the z3,at;ee of the Union (LB IWSiAt6iAing entranoe reQUireaeA%S and oo~me#I Of inatruCtiOA equal t0 those maintaiaed by the than better olava of snedioalsohools of the United Gtatss; and provided further that the said applioant for llcenee to praotloe mdlolne in this State ehail appe:?rbefore the Botrrdin executive seseion and pass a retlefaotory oral euMiAatiOA in r;reotioalsubjects a8 mar be me- No. 148, 8 1.' - (Undersoo5lng ours). Artiola 4694, 66 amended, Vernon's Annotate4 Civil Statufer, relating to Woonetruotlon ot ttiislaw, read8 in pert: *Z?othingfn this Chapter shall be 60 BOW strued a8 to Uleorlminato a&nst any partiotitar Sohool OT #y&em of medioal praotioe, nor to at- feat or limit In my way the a~plloation or use of the prinoiples, tenets, or teaohlnge of any ohuroh in the ministration to the rlak or au?- fering by prayer, without the use oi aAy dru& or material remdy, provided tmnltury and quarantln8 law8 and regulation8 are oamplied with; and pro- vided, rurther, that all these 80 rarinietering or orfering to mlnieter ta the olak or atifaring by prayer ahall refrain rrom maintaining oitioee, exoegt for the purpose of ererois5.q the prin~i- plea, tenets, or tsaohlngs of the ohuroh of whioh they are bona fldo membor8. Y * * w Artiolo 16, Seation 31 at the TeraE Constitution providea, in part, 6e followat "The Leglrrlaturemay paas 1awt1presorlbing Everett pi.Bi,lson,D.O., page l0 tho qUI&iiiiOatiOAU of prastltionars 0r madlolne In thlr Stata, and to punish persons for msl- praotioe, but no preferenos shall ever be given by law to any sohools of me610ino.w Reviewing Artlole 4500, suprs, it provides that ths Stats Board of Xedioal Sxsmlners *me7, In Its dir- oretlori,* + Y grtmi iiornae to praotioe ~afcin0 + e * ts llssntlatss of other State8 oc Tcrrltorlos having r0r medloal ryllstratlon and praotlos lq uu requlrtmst.ats to those eutebllshed by the laws of this State". Applloetlon mat be aooompmnid in the aass of ~lloantlates of other Siete8w by a 110~~68, or a otrtl- flsd oopy 0r lioenee to preotloa meflioine, lawfully iasu- ul to tho applfoant, upon exa%ilnatlanb7 some othe!#State or Territory OS the United States. Them em ed&itIonel requirements wioh need not be dlsouesed hers. A primary oonditlan ia oontalnsd ln the fiRa SeRteAOe Of &tiOh dboo, SUprat *The 8ald Board shall not, unber the ~rovt- sion of this Artiole, pant 8 lioen8o to praa- ties medicins In this St&t* t0 ska~pliosnt who does not hold a llosnse lssusd by M&her Stats, Terrlttory,or Distrlst of the Unftsd States, 4dY 00 him the aams right to praotloe medi- oino9 ~a the State, Territory, or Di8trlo% issu- ln(g~611%lioense whish s liossss to praotloe JladiOtn8 illthiB Stat6 &Ye8 to 6 PhpSiOiM Oi ttds Ststb In Texae.* The present sltu8tlon la on) tnrolrirq the q&i- action of the rnolprooitp statute, Artlole 4500, aupre, Ths lnnguags 0r this statute 18 olsar sub lxpliolt as to tbs autkorlty ct the .3tateBoard of VredioalExsmfners BVW the applications of lloentiater of other States or Territories. It is OUT opinion that u&%&r Artlole 4800, as #mend@&, ~~AeA’a klnOtBted Cit%l 3atutb8, ths m&ifJa;l reslproolty a&, the Texar 3t6te Boned of b%dicsl Eurain- srs hue Ohs authority to US@ 16118lsatitfos in @slItiN lloensee to preotloe faeelolxo.tiQ UQ*zMatas of Q*sF Bvantt W. Ullscm, D.O., Pega l.l states and that it may legally rajsot the qpplloatlon 0r a lloamd praotitloaar 4r msdlolne in lu0ther stats, ahether 5~3that em3 a *00r;300fte tip8 0r BOG SUO~ as oxlsts in Texas or nepacatr Bocardafor the differant fields or madlc~~e lssuad tha lloenas of the out of stats opplioanto w2mnemitr the Taxas Beard or Modloal ik~~lnors 18 satistlsdthat the raqulmmrnts undsr whloh the lioentieta In tha sister stats obtelnad his lloonu ua requlremants ror nmdloal ngiotretlon an4 praotioo whloh do no tlqunl ttws astabllshsd bT the laws of this state. &oh aotlon on the Dart or ths Board, pursuaut to the term0 or kt101. umo, does not rlolata tie pratl- aions 0r Artioie xn, Lzaotion30 or the Tsxas oon8tltutlon in rompsot to *soho at medlolna" and Arblols NW, as amendrd, in raspact to dlaorlmluatlon against any parti- oular sohool or myate& of amdloal praotlos. In &nswor to your third q~uastlon,this drpartmatit hau held thot the prtiotloo of OstWpathJ 10 rlthln ths phramo atho praotloa of mwIl~ina*~ Oplnloa iio.O-U98 to ths Texas Mats Board of Medloal Exemlners,by Hon. Wllllam f. lpannlag,Aeaiatmt AttoreT densral. Artlola 4810, R.C.8. of lSSII,prorldes~ wny penson 8hal.lbe regnrdad as Dra0tlOing medioino wlthlnths m0anlng Of t&l8 lat 1. Who shall Dublloly DroIeea to be 8 pho- 810ian or surgeon and shall trsat, or orrw to treat, any dleeane or dl8erder,itamtal or physl- oal, or any phjrsloaldsfordty or i.uJury, by 6z3y eymtem or method, or to eri'eot0ww1 tharsoft 8. Or who shall treat or 0rrer t0 treat any dleeass or Plaordsr, runtal or physloal, Or any phTsloa1 deformity or injury by any systma or method, or +A effaot OUMS thsraoi and ohargcr th4rsfor dlreotlp or lndlrsotly, m01iofor ot)ur eO@lPensatlonr" ~rtlols 4500, aa ommdod, Vernon*8 Annotated Cl~ll statutes, prwldss that the State Board may ln it8 dl~o~- tlon grant a ilOans to praotio* mabloimr *Co lloentlatr8 of other states or Terrltorles having rrqulrenwxts fOX 686 Everett W. Wilson, D.O., page 12 medloal registration end praotloe equal to those eetab- llshed by the laws or this State,' upon oompllence by the lloentiates with certain requirements set out in the statute. In passing upon the application of a lloensee 0r a sister state, the state Board 0r ldedioel Exami.ueirs must determine whether or not these requirements have been met: first, that the prerequisite8 of medloal reg- l&ration and praotioe of the sister state are in oon- iormlty with the standards established by the law or Texas; aeoond, that the extent oi the rl@t to Draotloe medlalne whioh the lioense of the elster state ooufera 1s oo-equal with the prlvllegee and aoope o¶!praotloe oonferred by the Texas license, lrrespeotive of the nature of the license, Its wording or the type of Board whloh iselms it. Where an applioant for a lloeuae to praotloemedialne in Texas presents a license granted by another state whloh reads wto praotioe osteopathy*, the applloatlon 1s wlthln the jurlsdiotion ot the State Board oflledlaal Examiners and the Board has authority to consider the application under the Medical Beoiproolty Statutes, Artiole 4500, as amended, Vernon's Auuotated Civil Statutes. Where the applloaut has secured his aleter state lloense by fulilll- lng requirements for medioal registration end praotloe equal to those established by the laws of this state, a8 provided in Article 4500, and has met the other reqtiredaents of Artlole 4500 applicable to an out of state lloentiate applying for a !l'xxas license it la wlthln the dlsoretlon of the State Board of Medical Exaxlners to grant aaid ap- plicant a llaense to praotloe medloine in Texas. Trusting that the above fully answers the lnqui+ lee oontalued in your three lettera; we are Yours very truly ATTCBEEYGEEEBALOFTEEkS