Section 61-23-27.11 - Surveying; violations; disciplinary actions; penalties; reissuance of certificates. (Repealed effective July 1, 2012.)
61-23-27.11. Surveying; violations; disciplinary actions; penalties; reissuance of certificates. (Repealed effective July 1, 2012.)
A. The board may suspend, refuse to renew or revoke the certificate of licensure, impose a fine not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000), place on probation for a specific period of time with specific conditions or reprimand any professional surveyor who is found by the board to have:
(1) practiced or offered to practice surveying in New Mexico in violation of the Engineering and Surveying Practice Act [61-23-1 NMSA 1978];
(2) attempted to use the certificate of another;
(3) given false or forged evidence to the board or to any board member for obtaining a certificate of licensure;
(4) falsely impersonated any other licensee of like or different name;
(5) attempted to use an expired, suspended or revoked certificate of licensure;
(6) falsely presented himself to be a professional surveyor by claim, sign, advertisement or letterhead;
(7) violated the rules of professional responsibility for professional surveyors adopted and promulgated by the board;
(8) been disciplined in another state for action that would constitute a violation of either or both the Engineering and Surveying Practice Act or the rules adopted by the board pursuant to the Engineering and Surveying Practice Act;
(9) been convicted of a felony; or
(10) procured, aided or abetted any violation of the provisions of the Engineering and Surveying Practice Act or the rules adopted by the board.
B. The board may by rule establish the guidelines for the disposition of disciplinary cases involving specific types of violations. Guidelines may include minimum and maximum fines, periods of probation or conditions of probation or reissuance of a license.
C. Failure to pay a fine levied by the board or to otherwise comply with an order issued by the board pursuant to the Uniform Licensing Act [61-1-1 NMSA 1978] is a misdemeanor and shall be grounds for further action against the licensee by the board and for judicial sanctions or relief.
D. Any person may prefer charges of fraud, deceit, gross negligence, incompetency or misconduct against any licensee. Such charges shall be in writing, shall be sworn to by the person making them and shall be filed with the executive director of the board. No action that would have any of the effects specified in Subsection D, E or F of Section 61-1-3 NMSA 1978 may be initiated later than two years after the discovery by the board, but in no case shall such an action be brought more than ten years after the completion of the conduct that constitutes the basis for the action. All charges shall be referred to the professional surveying committee, acting for the board, or to the board. All charges, unless dismissed as unfounded, trivial, resolved by reprimand or settled informally, shall be heard in accordance with the provisions of the Uniform Licensing Act by the professional surveying committee, acting for the board, or by the board.
E. Persons making charges shall not be subject to civil or criminal suits, provided the charges are made in good faith and are not frivolous or malicious.
F. The board or any board member may initiate proceedings pursuant to the provisions of this section in accordance with the provisions of the Uniform Licensing Act. Nothing in the Engineering and Surveying Practice Act shall deny the right of appeal from the decision and order of the board in accordance with the provisions of the Uniform Licensing Act.
G. The board, for reasons it deems sufficient, may reissue a certificate of licensure to any person whose certificate has been revoked or suspended, provided a majority of the members of the professional surveying committee, acting for the board, or of the board votes in favor of reissuance. A new certificate of licensure bearing the original license number to replace any certificate revoked, lost, destroyed or mutilated may be issued subject to the rules of the board with payment of a fee determined by the board.
H. The professional surveying committee shall prepare and adopt rules of professional responsibility for professional surveyors as provided in the Engineering and Surveying Practice Act that shall be made known in writing to every licensee and applicant for licensure pursuant to that act and shall be published in the roster. Such publication and public notice shall be in accordance with the Uniform Licensing Act. The professional surveying committee may revise and amend these rules of professional responsibility for professional surveyors from time to time and shall notify each licensee in writing of the revisions or amendments.
I. A violation of any provision of the Engineering and Surveying Practice Act is a misdemeanor punishable upon conviction by a fine of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000) or by imprisonment of no more than one year, or both.
J. The attorney general or district attorney of the proper district or special prosecutor retained by the board shall prosecute violations of the Engineering and Surveying Practice Act by a nonlicensee.
K. The practice of surveying in violation of the provisions of the Engineering and Surveying Practice Act shall be deemed a nuisance and may be restrained and abated by injunction without bond in an action brought in the name of the state by the district attorney or on behalf of the board by the attorney general or the special prosecutor retained by the board. Action shall be brought in the county in which the violation occurs.