Article 2. Narcotic Treatment Program Body Fluids Testing of California Health And Safety Code >> Division 10.5. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 10. >> Article 2.

The State Department of Health Services shall adopt and publish rules and regulations to be used in approving and governing the operation of laboratories engaging in the performance of tests referred to in Section 11839.24, including, but not limited to, the qualifications of the laboratory employees who perform the tests, which qualifications the department determines are reasonably necessary to ensure the competence of the laboratories and employees to prepare, analyze, and report the results of the tests.

Substance abuse testing for narcotic treatment programs operating in the state shall be performed only by a laboratory approved and licensed by the State Department of Public Health for the performance of those tests.

Each laboratory in this state that performs the test referred to in Section 11839.24 shall be licensed by the State Director of Health Services. The laboratory, other than a laboratory operated by the state, county, city, city and county, or other public agency, or a clinical laboratory licensed pursuant to subdivision (f) of Section 1300 of the Business and Professions Code, shall, upon application for licensing, pay a fee to the State Department of Health Services in an amount to be determined by that department, which fee will reimburse the department for the costs incurred by the department in the issuance and renewal of the licenses. On or before July 1 of each year thereafter, the laboratory shall pay to the State Department of Health Services a fee, determined by the department, for the renewal of its license.

The State Department of Health Care Services shall enforce this article and the rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this article.

The State Department of Health Services shall annually publish a list of approved and licensed laboratories engaging in the performance of tests referred to in Section 11839.24.

Every laboratory that has been approved and for which a license has been issued shall be periodically inspected by a duly authorized representative of the State Department of Health Services. Reports of this inspection shall be prepared by the representative conducting it upon forms prepared and furnished by the State Department of Health Services and shall be filed with that department.

Any license issued pursuant to Section 11839.25 may be suspended or revoked by the State Director of Health Services. The State Director of Health Services may refuse to issue a license to any applicant. Any proceedings under this article shall be conducted in accordance with Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, and the State Director of Health Services shall have the powers and duties granted therein.

The State Director of Health Services may deny a license if any of the following apply to the applicant, or any partner, officer, or director thereof:
  (a) The person fails to meet the qualifications established by the State Department of Health Services pursuant to this chapter for the issuance of the license applied for.
  (b) The person was previously the holder of a license issued under this chapter, which license has been revoked and never reissued or was suspended and the terms of the suspension have not been fulfilled.
  (c) The person has committed any act involving dishonesty, fraud, or deceit, whereby another was injured or whereby the applicant has benefited.

The State Director of Health Services may suspend, revoke, or take other disciplinary action against a licensee as provided in this chapter, if the licensee or any partner, officer, or director thereof does any of the following:
  (a) Violates any of the regulations promulgated by the State Department of Health Services pursuant to this article.
  (b) Commits any act of dishonesty, fraud or deceit, whereby another is injured or whereby the licensee benefited.
  (c) Misrepresents any material fact in obtaining a license.

The State Director of Health Services may take disciplinary action against any licensee after a hearing as provided in this article by any of the following:
  (a) Imposing probation upon terms and conditions to be set forth by the State Director of Health Services.
  (b) Suspending the license.
  (c) Revoking the license.

All accusations against licensees shall be filed within three years after the act or omission alleged as the ground for disciplinary action, except that with respect to an accusation alleging a violation of subdivision (c) of Section 11839.31, the accusation shall be filed within two years after the discovery by the State Department of Health Services of the alleged facts constituting the fraud or misrepresentation prohibited by that section.

After suspension or revocation of the license upon any of the grounds set forth in this article, the license shall not be reinstated or reissued within a period of one year after the effective date of suspension or revocation. After one year after the effective date of the suspension or revocation, the State Department of Health Services may reinstate the license upon proof of compliance by the applicant with all provisions of the decision as to reinstatement.