§ 89A-7.  Disciplinary actions.

(a) The Board may deny or refuse to renew a certificate of registration, suspend, or revoke a certificate of registration if the registrant or applicant:

(1) Obtains a certificate of registration by fraudulent misrepresentation.

(2) Uses or attempts to use another's certificate of registration to practice landscape architecture.

(3) Uses or attempts to use another's name for purposes of obtaining a certificate of registration or practicing landscape architecture.

(4) Has demonstrated gross malpractice or gross incompetency as determined by the Board.

(5) Has been convicted of or pled guilty or no contest to a crime that indicates that the person is unfit or incompetent to practice landscape architecture or that indicates the person has deceived or defrauded the public.

(6) Has been declared mentally incompetent by a court of competent jurisdiction.

(7) Has willfully violated any of the provisions of this Chapter or the Board's rules.

(b) The Board may require a registrant to take a written or oral examination if the Board finds evidence that the person is not competent to practice landscape architecture as defined in this Chapter.

(c) The Board may take any of the actions authorized in subsection (a) of this section against any firm, partnership, or corporation registered with the Board.

(d) In addition to taking any of the actions authorized in subsection (a) of this section, the Board may assess a civil penalty not in excess of two thousand dollars ($2,000) for the violation of any section of this Chapter or the violation of any rules adopted by the Board. All civil penalties collected by the Board shall be remitted to the school fund of the county in which the violation occurred. Before imposing and assessing a civil penalty and fixing the amount thereof, the Board shall, as a part of its deliberations, take into consideration the following factors:

(1) The nature, gravity, and persistence of the particular violation.

(2) The appropriateness of the imposition of a civil penalty when considered alone or in combination with other punishment.

(3) Whether the violation was willful.

(4) Any other factors that would tend to mitigate or aggravate the violations found to exist. (1969, c. 672, s. 7; 1973, c. 1331, s. 3; 1987, c. 827, ss. 1, 71; 1997-406, s. 8.)