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<section article="gbo" article_name="Business Occupations and Professions" number="7-309" title_number="7" title_name="Foresters" subtitle_number="3" subtitle_name="Licensing">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Subject to the hearing provisions of § 7-311 of this subtitle, the Board, on the affirmative vote of a majority of its authorized members, may deny a license to any applicant, reprimand any licensee, or suspend or revoke a license if the applicant or licensee:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>fraudulently or deceptively obtains or attempts to obtain a license for the applicant or licensee or for another;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>fraudulently or deceptively uses a license;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>is guilty of gross negligence, incompetence, or misconduct in practicing forestry;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>under the laws of the United States or of any state is convicted of:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>a felony; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>a misdemeanor that is directly related to the fitness and qualification of the applicant or licensee to practice forestry;</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>has had a license to practice forestry in another state revoked or suspended by the other state for a cause that would justify revocation or suspension under this title, except for the failure to pay a license or registration renewal fee;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vi">
        <text>knowingly violates any provision of the code of ethics adopted by the Board; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vii">
        <text>knowingly violates any provision of this title.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>Instead of or in addition to reprimanding a licensee or suspending or revoking a license under this subsection, the Board may impose a penalty not exceeding $5,000 for each violation.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>To determine the amount of the penalty imposed under this subsection, the Board shall consider:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>the seriousness of the violation;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>the harm caused by the violation;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>the good faith of the licensee; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="4">
          <text>any history of previous violations by the licensee.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The Board shall pay any penalty collected under this subsection into the General Fund of the State.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>The Board shall consider the following facts in the granting, denial, renewal, suspension, or revocation of a license or the reprimand of a licensee when an applicant or licensee is convicted of a felony or misdemeanor described in subsection (a)(1)(iv) of this section:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the nature of the crime;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the relationship of the crime to the activities authorized by the license;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>with respect to a felony, the relevance of the conviction to the fitness and qualification of the applicant or licensee to practice forestry;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>the length of time since the conviction; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>the behavior and activities of the applicant or licensee before and after the conviction.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
