NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Health officials are accusing a Tennessee Republican lawmaker of engaging in unethical conduct as a physician and are urging the state to take disciplinary actions.
In June, the Department of Health submitted the charges against Sen. Joey Hensley of Hohenwald to the Board of Medical Examiners. The case will now go to a hearing in September.
The civil charges, as first reported by The Tennessean on Thursday, allege Hensley improperly treated and prescribed controlled substances to immediate family members and an employee with whom Hensley was also involved in a personal relationship in 2014 and 2015.
“The allegations of fact … constitute grounds for disciplinary action against respondent’s license to practice as a medical doctor in the state of Tennessee,” read documents outlining the charges.
Other potential penalties include fines based on what the medical examiner board decides during the Sept. 18 hearing.