NH Rev Stat § 318:30 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title XXX - Occupations and Professions|Title 318 - Pharmacists and Pharmacies|Section 318:30 - Investigatory Powers of the Board; Complaints.

    318:30 Investigatory Powers of the Board;  Complaints. –||I. The board may investigate possible misconduct by licensees, permittees, registrants, certificate holders, applicants, and any other matters governed by the provisions of this chapter and RSA 318-B. Investigations may be conducted with or without the issuance of a board order setting forth the general scope of the investigation. Board investigations and any information obtained by the board pursuant to such investigations shall be exempt from the public disclosure provisions of RSA 91-A, unless such information subsequently becomes the subject of a public disciplinary hearing. However, the board may disclose information obtained in an investigation to law enforcement or health licensing agencies in this state or any other jurisdiction, or in accordance with specific statutory requirements or court orders.||II. The board may appoint legal counsel, technical advisors or other investigators retained through the office of professional licensure and certification to assist with any investigation and with adjudicatory hearings.||III. The board may commence a formal or informal investigation, or an adjudicative hearing, concerning allegations of misconduct and other matters within the scope of this chapter on its own motion whenever it has a reasonable basis for doing so, and the type of procedure chosen shall be a matter reserved to the discretion of the board. Investigations may be conducted on an ex parte basis.||IV. (a) The board may administer oaths or affirmations, preserve testimony, and issue subpoenas for witnesses and for documents during any formal investigation or adjudicatory hearing. The board may also subpoena patient records, as provided in paragraph V, during informal investigations.||(b) Subpoenas not covered by paragraph V shall be served in accordance with the procedures and fee schedules established by the superior court, except that:||(1) Persons licensed or registered by the board shall not be entitled to a witness fee or mileage expenses for travel within the state.||(2) Witness fees and mileage expenses need not be tendered in advance if the subpoena is annotated "Fees Guaranteed by the New Hampshire Board of Pharmacy."||(3) The respondent shall be allowed at least 48 hours to comply.||V. The board may at any time subpoena medical and pharmacy records from its licensees, registrants, and permittees and from physicians, dentists, veterinarians, advanced registered nurses, hospitals, and other health care providers or facilities licensed by or certified in this state. Such subpoenas shall be served by certified mail or by personal delivery to the address shown on the licensee's, registrant's, or permittee's current license, certificate or permit, and no witness or other fee shall be required. A minimum of 15 days' advance notice shall be allowed for complying with a subpoena duces tecum issued under this chapter.||VI. Persons holding or applying for licenses or other privileges granted by the board shall keep the board informed of their current business and residence addresses. A licensee, permittee, or registrant shall receive adequate notice of any hearing or other action taken under this chapter if notice is mailed in a timely fashion to the most recent home or business address furnished to the board by the licensee, permittee, or registrant.||VII. Complaints of licensee misconduct shall be in writing and shall be treated as petitions for the commencement of a disciplinary hearing. The board shall fairly investigate all complaints to the extent and in the manner warranted by the allegations. A complaint which fails to state a cause of action may be summarily denied in whole or in part. Some or all of the allegations in a complaint may be consolidated with another complaint or with issues which the board wishes to investigate or hear on its own motion. If investigation of a complaint results in an offer of settlement by the licensee, permittee, or registrant, the board may settle the allegations against the licensee, permittee, or registrant without the consent of the complainant, provided that material facts are not in dispute and the complainant is given an opportunity to comment upon the terms of the proposed settlement.||VIII. At the commencement of an adjudicatory proceeding, or at any time during a formal or informal investigation, and without issuing a subpoena, the board may mail a statement of the issues being investigated or heard to a licensee or other person who is a proper subject of inquiry and require that licensee or other person to provide a detailed and good faith written response to such statement. The board may also require the licensee or other person to furnish complete copies of appropriate office records concerning any patient whose treatment is relevant to the matters at issue. The licensee or other person shall respond to such request within a reasonable time period of not less than 15 days, as the board may specify in its written request.|||Source. 1921, 122:19. PL 210:31. RL 256:31. 1947, 258:1. RSA 318:30. 1979, 155:23. 1981, 484:13. 1985, 324:12. 1988, 106:4. 1989, 258:2. 1992, 97:10. 1994, 333:7. 2005, 177:132. 2010, 259:7, eff. July 6, 2010. 2015, 276:73, eff. July 1, 2015.|