(a) The commissioner may refuse to issue a license or may suspend or revoke the license of any licensee or take any of the actions set forth in section 19a-17 in circumstances which have endangered or are likely to endanger the health, welfare, or safety of the public. Such circumstances include but are not limited to the following:

(1) Obtaining a license by means of fraud or material misrepresentation or engaging in fraud or material deception in the course of professional services or activities;

(2) Violation of professional conduct guidelines or code of ethics as established by regulations adopted by the department;

(3) Violation of any provision of this chapter or regulations hereunder or section 20-404;

(4) Physical or mental illness or emotional disorder or loss of motor skill, including but not limited to, deterioration through the aging process;

(5) Abuse or excessive use of drugs, including alcohol, narcotics or chemicals;

(6) Illegal, incompetent or negligent conduct in his practice.

(b) The commissioner may order a license holder to submit to a reasonable physical or mental examination if his physical or mental capacity to practice safely is the subject of an investigation. Said commissioner may petition the superior court for the judicial district of Hartford to enforce such order or any action taken pursuant to section 19a-17.

(P.A. 73-570, S. 7, 12; P.A. 80-484, S. 135, 176; P.A. 81-472, S. 54, 159; P.A. 88-230, S. 1, 12; P.A. 90-98, S. 1, 2; P.A. 93-142, S. 4, 7, 8; P.A. 95-220, S. 4–6; 95-360, S. 6, 32.)

History: P.A. 80-484 extended disciplinary actions to include those in Sec. 19-4s, revised Subdiv. (1) to include fraud or deception in course of professional services as well as fraud in obtaining license, replaced former Subdiv. (4) which had allowed disciplinary action for conviction of felony or offense involving moral turpitude with new ground re physical or mental incapacity, added Subdivs. (5) and (6) re drug or alcohol abuse and illegal, incompetent or negligent conduct and added Subsec. (b) re physical or mental examinations and petitions to court for enforcement of orders or actions; P.A. 81-472 made technical changes; P.A. 88-230 replaced “judicial district of Hartford-New Britain” with “judicial district of Hartford”, effective September 1, 1991; P.A. 90-98 changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1991, to September 1, 1993; P.A. 93-142 changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1993, to September 1, 1996, effective June 14, 1993; P.A. 95-220 changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1996, to September 1, 1998, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 95-360 added violation of Sec. 20-404 to Subdiv. (3).