§ 5-8.1-15. Board of registration for professional land surveyors — Disciplinary actions.
(a) Revocation, suspension, and censure. After notice and a hearing as provided in this section, the director may in his or
her discretion or upon recommendation of the board: (1) Suspend, revoke, or take other
permitted action with respect to any certificate of registration; (2) Revoke, suspend,
or take other permitted action with respect to any certificate of authorization; (3)
Publicly censure, or reprimand or censure in writing; (4) Limit the scope of practice
of; (5) Impose an administrative fine, not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000)
for each violation; (6) Place on probation; and/or (7) For good cause shown, order
a reimbursement of the department for all fees, expenses, costs, and attorney's fees
in connection with the proceedings, which amounts shall be deposited as general revenues;
all with or without terms, conditions, or limitations, holders of a certificate of
registration or a certificate of authorization, hereafter referred to as registrant(s),
for any one or more of the causes set out in subsection (b).
(b) Grounds. The director may take actions specified in subsection (a) for any of the following
causes:
(1) Bribery, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation in obtaining a certificate of registration
or certificate of authorization;
(2) Practicing land surveying in another state or country or jurisdiction in violation
of the laws of that state, country, or jurisdiction;
(3) Practicing land surveying in this state in violation of the standards of professional
conduct established by the board and approved by the director;
(4) Fraud, deceit, recklessness, gross negligence, misconduct, or incompetence in the
practice of land surveying;
(5) Use of a land surveyor's stamp in violation of § 5-8.1-12;
(6) Violation of any of the provisions of this chapter or chapter 84 of this title;
(7) Suspension or revocation of the right to practice land surveying before any state
or before any other country or jurisdiction;
(8) Conviction of or pleading guilty or nolo contendere to any felony or to any crime
of, or an act constituting a crime of, forgery, embezzlement, obtaining money under
false pretenses, bribery, larceny, extortion, conspiracy to defraud, or any other
similar offense, in a court of competent jurisdiction of this state or any other state
or of the federal government;
(9) Failure to furnish to the department and/or board, or any person acting on behalf
thereof, in a reasonable time such information as may be legally requested by the
department and/or board;
(10) In conjunction with any violation of subsections (b)(1) — (b)(9), any conduct reflecting
adversely upon the registrant's fitness to engage in the practice of land surveying;
and
(11) In conjunction with any violation of subsections (b)(1) — (b)(9), any other conduct
discreditable to the land surveying profession.
(c) Procedures.
(1) Any person may prefer charges of fraud, deceit, gross negligence, incompetence, or
misconduct against any applicant or registrant. In addition, the department or board
may, on its own motion, investigate the conduct of an applicant or registrant of the
board, and may in appropriate cases file a written statement of charges with the secretary
of the board. The charges shall be in writing and shall be sworn to by the person
or persons making them and shall be filed with the board of land surveyors. All charges,
unless dismissed by the director as unfounded or trivial, shall be heard by the director
within three (3) months after the date on which they were referred.
(2) The time and place for the hearing shall be fixed by the department, 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 to the last known address of the registrant at least
thirty (30) days before the date fixed for the hearing. At any hearing, the accused
registrant or applicant has the right to appear personally and/or by counsel, to cross-examine
witnesses appearing against him or her, and to produce evidence and witnesses in his
or her defense.
(3) If, after the hearing, the charges are sustained, the director, on his or her own
motion or upon recommendation of the board of land surveyors, may in his or her discretion
suspend, revoke, or take other permitted action with respect to the certificate of
registration or certificate of authorization or publicly censure the registrant, or
take any other action and/or order any other penalty permitted by this section.
(4) The director may, at his or her discretion, reissue a certificate of registration
or certificate of authorization or renewal to any person or firm denied registration
under this section or upon presentation of satisfactory evidence of reform and/or
redress.
(5) The board may participate in hearings before the director through representation by
the department's legal staff acting as the prosecuting agent before the director.
(d) Legal counsel. The department shall make its legal staff available to act as legal advisor to the
board and to render any legal assistance that is necessary in carrying out the provisions
of this chapter. The director may employ other counsel and necessary assistance to
aid in the enforcement of this chapter, and their compensation and expenses shall
be paid from the funds of the department.
(e) Nothing in this chapter shall prevent the department and/or board of land surveyors
from charging one or both parties a fee for the direct costs associated with hearings
and transcripts in accordance with the department's rules of procedure for administrative
hearings.
(f) Nothing in this chapter shall prevent the board from entering into consent agreements
or informal resolutions with any party under investigation for violations under this
chapter and/or chapter 84 of this title.