There is a State Board of Examiners of Psychologists in the Department.

The Board consists of 9 members. Of the 9 Board members: 2 shall be consumer members; and 7 shall be licensed psychologists, of whom: At least 2 shall be engaged primarily in providing psychological services; and At least 2 shall be engaged primarily in teaching, training, or research in psychology. The Governor shall appoint the psychologist members, with the advice of the Secretary and the advice and consent of the Senate, from a list of names submitted to the Secretary by the Maryland Psychological Association. For each vacancy of a psychologist member, the Maryland Psychological Association shall: Notify all licensed psychologists in the State of the vacancy to solicit nominations to fill the vacancy; and Conduct a balloting process where every licensed psychologist is eligible to vote to select the names of the licensed psychologists that will be submitted to the Governor. The Governor shall appoint the consumer members with the advice of the Secretary and the advice and consent of the Senate. Each psychologist member of the Board shall be: A licensed psychologist who has practiced, taught, or engaged in research in psychology for at least 5 years; A citizen of the United States; and A resident of this State. Each consumer member of the Board: Shall be a member of the general public; May not be or ever have been a psychologist or psychology associate or in training to become a psychologist or psychology associate; May not have a household member who is a psychologist or psychology associate or in training to become a psychologist or psychology associate; May not participate or ever have participated in a commercial or professional field related to psychology; May not have a household member who participates in a commercial or professional field related to psychology; and May not have had within 2 years before appointment a substantial financial interest in a person regulated by the Board. While a member of the Board, a consumer member may not have a substantial financial interest in a person regulated by the Board. Before taking office, each appointee to the Board shall take the oath required by Article I, § 9 of the Maryland Constitution. The term of a member is 4 years. The terms of members are staggered as required by the terms provided for members of the Board on July 1, 1981. At the end of a term, a member continues to serve until a successor is appointed and qualifies. A member who is appointed after a term has begun serves only for the rest of the term and until a successor is appointed and qualifies. To the extent practicable, the Governor shall fill any vacancy on the Board within 60 days of the date of the vacancy. A member may not serve more than 2 consecutive full terms. The Governor may remove a member for incompetence or misconduct. Upon the recommendation of the Secretary, the Governor may remove a member whom the Secretary finds to have been absent from 2 successive Board meetings without adequate reason.

From among its members, the Board annually shall elect a chairman and a vice chairman. The Board shall determine: The manner of election of officers; and The duties of each officer.

A majority of the members then serving on the Board is a quorum. The Board shall meet at least once a year, at the times and places that it determines. The Board may hold special meetings, if: Requested by the Secretary; or The chairman or a majority of the members then serving on the Board consider a meeting to be necessary or advisable. Reasonable notice of all Board meetings shall be given in the manner determined by the Board. A member of the Board is entitled to: Compensation, in accordance with the budget of the Board, for each day on which the member is engaged in performing the duties of the member’s office; and Reimbursement for expenses at a rate determined by the Board. The Board may designate one of its staff as Board administrator. The Board administrator may be compensated in accordance with the budget of the Board. The Board may employ other staff in accordance with the budget of the Board.

A person shall have the immunity from liability described under § 5-717 of the Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article for giving information to the Board or otherwise participating in its activities.

In addition to the powers set forth elsewhere in this title, the Board may adopt rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this title. In addition to the duties set forth elsewhere in this title, the Board shall: Establish procedures for receiving and investigating complaints, including: Providing notice to the licensee or registrant that a complaint has been filed against the licensee or registrant and forwarding a copy of the complaint to the licensee or registrant within 120 days of receipt of the complaint, unless the Board: Makes an affirmative determination that the disclosure would prejudice the investigation of the complaint and notifies the licensee or registrant of the determination; or Disposes of the complaint within 120 days of the date of receipt of the complaint; and Notifying, at least every 3 months, the licensee or registrant and the complainant as to the status of any outstanding complaint; Submit an annual report of its activities to the Secretary as soon as practicable after the end of each fiscal year; and Adopt an official seal.

The Board may disclose any information contained in a record of the Board to any other health occupations regulatory board of this State or another state if the health occupations regulatory board of this State or another state requests the information in writing. The Board, its executive director or administrator, or the Office of the Attorney General, may disclose to any licensing or disciplinary authority or other law enforcement, prosecutorial, or judicial authority, any information in the investigatory files of the Board.

There is a State Board of Examiners for Psychologists Fund. The Board shall set reasonable fees for the issuance and renewal of licenses and its other services. The fees charged shall be set so as to produce revenues that approximate the cost of maintaining the Board. Funds to cover the compensation and expenses of the Board members shall be generated by fees set under this section. The Board shall pay all funds collected under this title to the Comptroller of the State. The Comptroller shall distribute the fees to the State Board of Examiners for Psychologists Fund. The Fund shall be used to cover the actual documented direct and indirect costs of fulfilling the statutory and regulatory duties of the Board as provided by the provisions of this article. The Fund is a continuing, nonlapsing fund, not subject to § 7-302 of the State Finance and Procurement Article. Any unspent portions of the Fund may not be transferred or revert to the General Fund of the State, but shall remain in the Fund to be used for the purposes specified in this article. No other State money may be used to support the Fund. A designee of the Board shall administer the Fund. Moneys in the Fund may be expended only for any lawful purpose authorized under the provisions of this article. The Legislative Auditor shall audit the accounts and transactions of the Fund as provided in § 2-1220 of the State Government Article.