WAIVERS FROM ELECTRONIC PRESCRIBING.

(a) The appropriate regulatory agency that issued the license, certification, or registration to a prescriber is authorized to grant a prescriber a waiver from the electronic prescribing requirement under the provisions of this section.

(b) The board shall convene an interagency workgroup that includes representatives of each regulatory agency that issues a license, certification, or registration to a prescriber.

(c) The work group described by Subsection (b) shall establish recommendations and standards for circumstances in which a waiver from the electronic prescribing requirement is appropriate and a process under which a prescriber may request and receive a waiver.

(d) The board shall adopt rules establishing the eligibility for a waiver, including:

(1) economic hardship;

(2) technological limitations not reasonably within the control of the prescriber; or

(3) other exceptional circumstances demonstrated by the prescriber.

(e) Each regulatory agency that issues a license, certification, or registration to a prescriber shall adopt rules for the granting of waivers consistent with the board rules adopted under Subsection (d).

(f) A waiver may be issued to a prescriber for a period of one year. A prescriber may reapply for a subsequent waiver not earlier than the 30th day before the date the waiver expires if the circumstances that necessitated the waiver continue.