1. A. In this chapter, the following terms have the meanings indicated.

2. B. Terms Defined.

   1. (1) “Board” means a health occupation board regulated under the Health Occupations Article or the Health-General Article, Annotated Code of Maryland, with the exception of the Board of Nursing.
   2. (2) “Board member” means an individual appointed by the Governor to serve on a Board.
   3. (3) “Charging document” means the notice from the board pursuant to State Government Article, §10-208, Annotated Code of Maryland, which informs a licensee of an alleged violation or violations of a board's statute by the licensee.
   4. (4) “Complaint” means a communication to a board of a possible violation of the disciplinary provisions of a Maryland licensing statute by a licensee.
   5. (5) “Conflict of interest” means a situation in which a personal interest of a board member or a board investigator presents a potential conflict with the public interest in connection with an anticipated public action or decision.
   6. (6) “Ex parte communication” means a direct or indirect communication between a board member and another party regarding the merits of an issue in a pending contested disciplinary case if the communication is made outside the presence of the opposing party in the case.
   7. (7) “Investigator” means an individual who investigates complaints received by a health occupation board.

   8. (8) Liaison.

      1. (a) “Liaison” means a board member designated by the board to provide practitioner expertise to the investigator or prosecutor, or both, pertaining to a specific complaint.
      2. (b) “Liaison” does not mean a board member who participates only in a preliminary review of a complaint.
   9. (9) “Recusal” means nonparticipation of a board member in a specific matter before the Board.

Authority: Health-General Article, §2-104; Health Occupations Article, §§1-203, 1A-205, 2-205, 3-205, 4-205, 5-205, 6-206, 7-205, 9-205, 10-205, 11-205, 12-205, 13-206, 14-205, 16-205, 17-205, 18-206, 19-205, 20-205 and 21-205; Annotated Code of Maryland

Effective date: July 24, 2000 (27:14 Md. R. 1341)