§ 37:154 — Violations and penalties

A. Any person, corporation, company, partnership, firm, business entity, or individual, who shall practice, or offer to practice, architecture in this state without being certified in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter, or any person presenting or attempting to use as his own the certificate of registration or the seal of another, or any person who shall give any false or forged evidence of any kind to the board, or to any member thereof, in obtaining a certificate of registration, or any person who shall falsely impersonate any other registrant or certificate holder of like or different name, or any person who shall attempt to use an expired or revoked certificate of registration, or any person, applicant, registrant, or certificate holder who shall violate any of the provisions of this Chapter, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. An individual who violates any part of this Chapter shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than three hundred dollars, nor more than fifteen hundred dollars, or be imprisoned for a period not to exceed three months, or both. Any person, other than an individual, who violates any provision of this Chapter shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than fifteen hundred dollars, nor more than five thousand dollars. Each day the violation occurs shall constitute a separate offense.
B. It shall be the duty of the attorney general, all district attorneys, and all duly constituted officers of the law of this state, or any political subdivision thereof, to enforce the provisions of this Chapter and to prosecute any persons violating the provisions of this Chapter. The attorney general, or his assistant, shall act as legal advisor to the board if requested by the board and render such legal assistance as may be deemed necessary by the board in carrying out the provisions of this Chapter; however, this shall not relieve the local prosecuting officers of any duty to prosecute a violation of this Chapter.
C.(1)(a) The board shall ensure enforcement of the provisions of this Chapter. The board may investigate any complaint relating to a violation of this Chapter and, depending upon the result of its investigation, the board may, after notice and hearing and by a majority vote of its entire membership authorized to participate in the proceeding, issue an order prohibiting the person from committing a violation of this Chapter or fine any such person for any violations of this Chapter, or both. The fine shall not exceed one thousand five hundred dollars per violation in the case of an individual or five thousand dollars per violation in the case of a person other than an individual.
(b) The time and place for said hearing shall be fixed by the board and a copy of the charges, together with a notice of the time and place of the hearing, shall be personally served, on or mailed by certified mail, to the last known address of such person at least thirty days before the date fixed for hearing.
(c) At the hearing, the accused shall have the right to appear in person, or by counsel, or both, to cross examine witnesses in his or its defense, and to produce evidence and witnesses in his or its defense.
(d) If the accused person or business entity fails or refuses to appear, the board may proceed to hear and determine the validity of the charges.
(2) Any person who violates any order of the board issued under this Chapter shall be subject to a civil penalty not in excess of fifteen hundred dollars per violation, in the case of an individual, or five thousand dollars per violation, in the case of a person other than an individual. If the penalty imposed is not paid within sixty days after the order becomes final, then the order shall constitute a judgment and shall be filed and execution issued upon in the same manner as a judgment of a court of record. Any civil penalty imposed by the board under this Section may, at its discretion, be suspended in whole or in part.
(3) All funds derived from fines as provided in this Subsection shall be deposited in the state general fund.
(4) Any person aggrieved by any action of the board in assessing a fine under this Subsection may appeal such action pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act.
D. In the alternative, after completion of any investigation by the board concerning a violation of this Chapter by a nonregistrant, the board may present its findings to the district attorney in whose district the violation occurred and shall aid in any criminal prosecution for a violation, or the board may, if it deems necessary, initiate any civil proceeding for a violation of this Chapter directly and in its own name in any district court. This action may be instituted by any member, officer, attorney, or agent of the board.
E. In addition to any other fine or penalty imposed under this Chapter, the board may assess all reasonable costs incurred in connection with a disciplinary proceeding, including investigator fees, stenographer fees, and attorney fees, and court costs against any person found to have violated any order of the board.

Legislative History

Acts 1983, No. 472, §1; Acts 1991, No. 418, §1; Acts 1997, No. 363, §1.