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| | | CHULA VISTA WILL NO LONGER ISSUE BUSINESS LICENSES TO UNLICENSED MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS | At this time, there are 342 current licensed physicians in the city of Chula Vista and none of them needed to show proof of a medical license to get a business license, under the Chula Vista Municipal Code — until now.
In January this year, Chula Vista residents informed the city that a women’s clinic was operating without a current business license and that the doctor of that clinic was under investigation by the state of California. The Chula Vista City Council has now responded to residents’ concerns by voting unanimously to amend the code so that any person practicing medicine who wants to obtain a business license must show a valid state license or certificate at a council meeting.
“In this particular case there is a client that is a cash-only practice, preying on people with no insurance, very limited insurance, limited income and limited English,” Mayor Steven Padilla said. “There are physicians practicing on citizens in our community whose medical licenses are in bad standing or who have been convicted of crimes or have had them suspended, and for some crazy reason, they are still able to practice on people even with their license in that condition.”
Padilla said, “It seems to me that if we are going to issue business licenses to people, we have to make sure that they are complying with the law, particularly if they are going to be caring for people’s health and well being.”
Under the state of California Business and Professions Code if they do not show prove of their license, the city has jurisdiction to give that physicians information to state investigators so they can pursue further action.
Ultimately it is a misdemeanor if someone is operating a business within the city limits of Chula Vista without a license. The most drastic penalty would be criminal prosecution with a $1,000 fine or six months in San Diego County jail.
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| | | | | | Published On | By | | Thursday, October 26, 2006 17:22:59 | Carlos Rico
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