Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
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State of Arkansas 1
94th General Assembly A Bill 2
Regular Session, 2023 SENATE BILL 57 3
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By: Senator Irvin 5
By: Representative L. Johnson 6
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For An Act To Be Entitled 8
AN ACT TO MODIFY THE FEES CHARGED BY THE ARKANSAS 9
STATE MEDICAL BOARD; TO AUTHORIZE THE ARK ANSAS STATE 10
MEDICAL BOARD TO RED UCE FEES IF THE FEE REDUCTION IS 11
IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE STATE; AND FO R OTHER 12
PURPOSES. 13
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Subtitle 16
TO MODIFY THE FEES CHARGED BY THE 17
ARKANSAS STATE MEDICAL BOARD; AND TO 18
AUTHORIZE THE ARKANSAS STATE MEDICAL 19
BOARD TO REDUCE FEES IF THE FEE REDUCTION 20
IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE STATE. 21
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 24
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SECTION 1. Arkansas Code § 4 -29-309, concerning the certificate of 26
registration for a medical corporation, is amended to add an additional 27
subsection to read as follows: 28
(h)(1) The board shall not increase or set assessed fees exceeding the 29
amounts in this section without approval of the Governor and either the 30
Legislative Council or, if the General Assembly is in session, the Joint 31
Budget Committee. 32
(2) If the board determines in its discretion that a reduction 33
is in the best interest of the sta te, the board may reduce fees below the 34
amounts in this section through the administrative rule process and by the 35
approval of the Governor and either the Legislative Council or, if the 36 SB57
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General Assembly is in session, the Joint Budget Committee. 1
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SECTION 2. Arkansas Code § 17 -91-101(b), concerning the licensing 3
requirements of osteopathic physicians, is amended to read as follows: 4
(b)(1) Applicants for such a licensure shall pay the fees required by 5
the Arkansas Medical Practices Act, § 17-95-201 et seq., § 17-95-301 et seq., 6
and § 17-95-401 et seq. 7
(2) The board shall not increase or set assessed fees exceeding 8
the amounts in this section without approval of the Governor and either the 9
Legislative Council or, if the General Assembly is in session, th e Joint 10
Budget Committee. 11
(3) If the board determines in its discretion that a reduction 12
is in the best interest of the state, the board may reduce fees below the 13
amounts in this section through the administrative rule process and by the 14
approval of the Governor and either the Legislative Council or, if the 15
General Assembly is in session, the Joint Budget Committee. 16
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SECTION 3. Arkansas Code § 17 -95-107(d)(7)(E), concerning 18
credentialing organizations, is amended to read as follows: 19
(E)(i) The board may assess each physician licensee an 20
amount not to exceed one hundred dollars ($100) per year to offset the cost 21
of providing the credentialing service. 22
(ii) The board shall not increase or set assessed 23
fees exceeding the amounts in this chapter wi thout approval of the Governor 24
and either the Legislative Council or, if the General Assembly is in session, 25
the Joint Budget Committee. 26
(iii) If the board determines in its discretion that 27
a reduction is in the best interest of the state, the board m ay reduce fees 28
below the amounts in this chapter through the administrative rule process and 29
by the approval of the Governor and either the Legislative Council or, if the 30
General Assembly is in session, the Joint Budget Committee. 31
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SECTION 4. Arkansas Co de § 17-95-408(c), concerning annual 33
registration fees of a physician, is amended to read as follows: 34
(c)(1) Any delinquent licentiate may be reinstated by paying all 35
delinquent fees and a penalty of fifty dollars ($50.00) for each year or part 36 SB57
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thereof that he or she has been delinquent. 1
(2) The Arkansas State Medical Board shall not increase or set 2
assessed fees exceeding the amounts in this section without approval of the 3
Governor and either the Legislative Council or, if the General Assembly is in 4
session, the Joint Budget Committee. 5
(3) If the Arkansas State Medical Board determines in its 6
discretion that a reduction is in the best interest of the state, the 7
Arkansas State Medical Board may reduce fees below the amounts in this 8
section through the administrative rule process and by the approval of the 9
Governor and either the Legislative Council or, if the General Assembly is in 10
session, the Joint Budget Committee. 11
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SECTION 5. Arkansas Code § 17 -95-411 is amended to read as follows: 13
17-95-411. Fees. 14
(a) The Arkansas State Medical Board shall charge the following fees: 15
(1)(A) For application for license by examination or by 16
credentials, four hundred dollars ($400). 17
(B) If it is determined by the board that the credentials 18
of the applicant are insufficient or the applicant withdraws his or her 19
application before taking the examination, the board may return such portion 20
of the fee as allowed by the rules of the board; 21
(2) For a temporary license or permit, fifty dollars ($50.00) 22
for each six-month period; 23
(3) For certification of licentiate to another state, fifteen 24
dollars ($15.00); and 25
(4)(A)(i) For annual license or reregistration fee, seventy 26
dollars ($70.00). 27
(ii) Except as provided in subdivision (a)(4)(C) of 28
this section, an annual license or reregistration fee is to be imposed upon 29
each physician who holds a license to practice medicine in the State of 30
Arkansas. 31
(B) The annual license or reregistration fee may be 32
changed by the board provided that the amount shall be fixed by the board not 33
less than sixty (60) days in advance of January 1 of each year. 34
(C) The board shall waive the annual license or 35
reregistration fee of a physician who: 36 SB57
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(i) Holds a license to practice medicine in the 1
State of Arkansas; and 2
(ii) Is an active-duty member of the military. 3
(b)(1) The board shall not increase or set assessed fees exceeding the 4
amounts in this section without approval of the Governor and either the 5
Legislative Council or, if the General Assembly is i n session, the Joint 6
Budget Committee. 7
(2) If the board determines in its discretion that a reduction 8
is in the best interest of the state, the board may reduce fees below the 9
amounts in this section through the administrative rule process and by the 10
approval of the Governor and either the Legislative Council or, if the 11
General Assembly is in session, the Joint Budget Committee. 12
13
SECTION 6. Arkansas Code § 17 -99-302(e), concerning the fees 14
associated with registration as a respiratory care practitioner , is amended 15
to read as follows: 16
(e)(1) A fee not to exceed the prevailing rate set by the National 17
Board for Respiratory Care, Inc. , or its successor organization must 18
accompany the application. 19
(2) The Arkansas State Medical Board shall not increase or set 20
assessed fees exceeding the amounts in this section without approval of the 21
Governor and either the Legislative Council or, if the General Assembly is in 22
session, the Joint Budget Committee. 23
(3) If the Arkansas State Medical Board determines in its 24
discretion that a reduction is in the best interest of the state, the 25
Arkansas State Medical Board may reduce fees below the amounts in this 26
section through the administrative rule process and by the approval of the 27
Governor and either the Legislative Council or, if the General Assembly is in 28
session, the Joint Budget Committee. 29
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SECTION 7. Arkansas Code § 17 -99-306, concerning annual registration 31
of respiratory care practitioners, is amended to add an additional subsection 32
to read as follows: 33
(c)(1) The board shall not increase or set assessed fees exceeding the 34
amounts in this section without approval of the Governor and either the 35
Legislative Council or, if the General Assembly is in session, the Joint 36 SB57
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Budget Committee. 1
(2) If the board determi nes in its discretion that a reduction 2
is in the best interest of the state, the board may reduce fees below the 3
amounts in this section through the administrative rule process and by the 4
approval of the Governor and either the Legislative Council or, if t he 5
General Assembly is in session, the Joint Budget Committee. 6
7
SECTION 8. Arkansas Code § 17 -105-117, concerning rulemaking authority 8
of the Arkansas State Medical Board regarding physician assistant licensure, 9
is amended to add an additional subsection to read as follows: 10
(d)(1) The board shall not increase or set assessed fees exceeding the 11
amounts in this section without approval of the Governor and either the 12
Legislative Council or, if the General Assembly is in session, the Joint 13
Budget Committee. 14
(2) If the board determines in its discretion that a reduction 15
is in the best interest of the state, the board may reduce fees below the 16
amounts in this section through the administrative rule process and by the 17
approval of the Governor and either the Legislative Council or, if the 18
General Assembly is in session, the Joint Budget Committee. 19
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