§ 34-11-15 — Violations; Penalties

(a) Any person who practices, offers to practice, or holds himself or herself out as qualified to practice engineering or land surveying in this state or uses in connection with his or her name or otherwise assumes, uses, or advertises any title or description including, but not limited to, the term engineer, engineers, engineering, or professional engineer, professional engineers, or professional engineering, or land surveyor, land surveyors, land surveying, or professional land surveyor, professional land surveyors, or professional land surveying, without being licensed or exempted in accordance with this chapter, or any person presenting or attempting to use as his or her own the certificate of licensure or the seal or facsimile thereof of another, or permitting his or her own certificate of licensure, seal or facsimile thereof to be used by another person, or any person who gives any false or forged evidence of any kind to the board or to any member thereof in obtaining, or attempting to obtain a certificate of licensure, or any person who falsely impersonates any other licensee of like or different name, or any person who attempts to use an expired, suspended, surrendered, or revoked certificate of licensure, shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor. Each day of the violation shall constitute a separate offense.
(b) Any corporation, partnership, or firm who violates any part of this chapter shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor and punished as provided by law. Each day of the violation shall be a separate offense.
(c) It shall be the duty of all duly constituted officers of law of this state, or any political subdivision thereof, to enforce this chapter and to prosecute any persons, firms, partnerships, or corporations for violating this chapter. The Attorney General of the state or his or her assistants shall act as legal advisor to the board and render legal assistance to the board as may be necessary in carrying out this chapter. The board has the right to obtain private legal counsel as the need arises.
(d) Pursuant to the proceedings under this chapter, the board may issue subpoenas to compel the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the disclosure of evidence and may request the Attorney General to bring an action to enforce a subpoena.
(e) In addition to or in lieu of the sanctions provided in this chapter, the board may issue an order to any individual or firm engaged in any activity, conduct, or practice constituting a violation of this chapter, directing the individual or firm to cease and desist from the activity, conduct, or practice, or the performance of any work then being done or about to be commenced. The order shall be issued in the name of the State of Alabama under the official seal of the board. If the individual or firm to whom the board directs a cease and desist order does not cease or desist the proscribed activity, conduct, practice, or performance of work immediately, the board shall cause to issue in any court of competent jurisdiction and proper venue, a writ of injunction enjoining the individual or firm from engaging in the proscribed activity, conduct, practice, or performance of work. Upon a showing by the board that an individual or firm has engaged or is engaged in any activity, conduct, practice, or performance of work prohibited by this chapter, the courts shall issue a temporary restraining order restraining the individual or firm from engaging in the unlawful activity, conduct, practice, or performance of work pending the hearing on the preliminary injunction, and in due course a permanent injunction shall issue after the hearing commanding the cessation of the unlawful activity, conduct, practice, or performance of work complained of, all without the necessity of the board having to give bond. A temporary restraining order, preliminary injunction, or permanent injunction issued pursuant to this chapter shall not be subject to being released on bond. In the suit for an injunction, the board may demand of the defendant a civil penalty of up to five thousand dollars ($5,000) plus costs and attorney fees for each offense. A judgment for penalties, attorney fees, and costs may be rendered in the same judgment in which the injunction is made absolute. The trial of the proceeding by injunction shall be summary and by the trial judge without jury.
(f) Any person who fails to cease work, after a hearing and notification from the board, may not apply for a professional engineer’s or professional land surveyor’s license for a period not to exceed one year from the date of official notification to cease work.
(g) The board may withhold approval for up to six months, of any application from any person who, prior to the application, has been found in violation of this chapter.

Legislative History

(Acts 1961, Ex. Sess., No. 79, p. 1976, §23; Acts 1975, No. 1049, p. 2107, §1; Acts 1984, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 84-792, p. 182, §1; Acts 1997, No. 97-683, p. 1332, §1; Act 99-102, p. 120, §3; Act 2018-550, §5.)