Code of the District of Columbia

§ 3–1204.01. Qualifications of members.

(a)(1) The consumer members of each board shall be residents of the District at the time of their appointments and while they are members of the board.

(2) At least 50% of professional members of each board shall be residents of the District at the time of their appointments and while they are members of the board.

(3) The chairperson of each board shall be a District resident while they are a member of the board.

(b)(1) Each professional member of a board, in addition to the requirements of subsection (a) of this section, shall have been engaged in the practice of the health occupation regulated by the board for at least 3 years preceding appointment.

(1A) In addition to meeting the requirements of paragraph (1) of this subsection, each professional member of a board who is not a District resident shall:

(A) Be actively engaged in the practice of the health occupation regulated by the board in the District while they are a member of the board;

(B) Have a physical practice, or be employed, in the District in which they are physically present in the District for at least 20 hours per week; and

(C) Demonstrate that their practice in the District is not primarily through telehealth.

(2) The dietitian and nutritionist members initially appointed to the Board of Dietetics and Nutrition, the nonphysician acupuncturist member initially appointed to the Advisory Committee on Acupuncture, the anesthesiologist assistant member initially appointed to the Advisory Committee on Anesthesiologist Assistants, the physician assistant member initially appointed to the Advisory Committee on Physician Assistants, the polysomnographic technologist members initially appointed to the Advisory Committee on Polysomnography, the surgical assistant member initially appointed to the Advisory Committee on Surgical Assistants, the trauma technologist member initially appointed to the Advisory Committee on Trauma Technologists, the respiratory care members initially appointed to the Board of Respiratory Care, the social worker members initially appointed to the Board of Social Work, the professional counselor members initially appointed to the Board of Professional Counseling, the audiologist and speech-language pathologist members initially appointed to the Board, the clinical laboratory practitioner members initially appointed to the Board, the naturopathic physician member initially appointed to the Advisory Committee on Naturopathic Medicine, marriage and family therapist members initially appointed to the Board of Marriage and Family Therapy, the professional art therapist member initially appointed to the Board, and the massage therapy members initially appointed to the Board of Massage Therapy shall be eligible for and shall file a timely application for licensure in the District. The advanced registered nurse members initially appointed to the Board of Nursing shall be licensed in the District as registered nurses, shall meet the qualifications of this chapter to practice their respective specialties, shall have practiced their respective specialties for at least 3 years preceding appointment, and shall file a timely application for certification to practice their respective specialties. The veterinary technician member initially appointed to the Board of Veterinary Medicine shall be eligible for and shall file a timely application for certification in the District.

(c) Each consumer member of a board, in addition to the requirements of subsection (a) of this section, shall:

(1) Be at least 18 years old;

(2) Not be a health professional or in training to become a health professional;

(3) Not have a household member who is a health professional or is in training to become a health professional; and

(4) Not own, operate, or be employed in or have a household member who owns, operates, or is employed in a business which has as its primary purpose the sale of goods or services to health professionals or health-care facilities.

(d) Within the meaning of subsection (c) of this section, the term “household member” means a relative, by blood, marriage, or domestic partnership, or a ward of an individual who shares the individual’s actual residence.

(e)(1) The office of a member of a board or advisory committee shall be forfeited upon the member's failure to maintain the qualifications required by this chapter.

(2) The Mayor's Office of Talent and Appointments shall verify on an annual basis the qualifications required by this chapter of the appointed members of a board or advisory committee.

(f) Each professional member of a board or advisory committee shall disqualify himself or herself from acting on his or her own application for licensure or license renewal or on any other matter related to his or her practice of a health occupation.