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<section article="gho" article_name="Health Occupations" number="21-312" title_number="21" title_name="Environmental Health Specialists" subtitle_number="3" subtitle_name="Licensing">
  <level label="a">
    <text>The Board shall adopt a code of ethics designed to protect the public’s interest.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>Subject to the hearing provisions of § 21–313 of this subtitle, the Board, on the affirmative vote of a majority of its full authorized membership, may deny any applicant licensure, reprimand any licensee, or place any individual who is licensed on probation, or suspend or revoke a license, if the applicant or licensee:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Fraudulently or deceptively obtains or attempts to obtain a license for the applicant or license holder or another;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Fraudulently or deceptively uses a license;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Knowingly violates any provision of this title, or any rule or regulation adopted under this title;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>Commits any gross negligence, misfeasance, malfeasance, incompetence, or misconduct while performing the duties of an environmental health specialist;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>Is convicted of or pleads guilty or nolo contendere to a felony or to a crime involving moral turpitude, whether or not any appeal or other proceeding is pending to have the conviction or plea set aside;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>Provides professional services while:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Under the influence of alcohol; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Using any narcotic or controlled dangerous substance, as defined in § 5–101 of the Criminal Law Article, or other drug that is in excess of therapeutic amounts or without valid medical indication;</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="7">
      <text>Is disciplined by a licensing or disciplinary authority of any other state or country or convicted or disciplined by a court of any state or country, or disciplined by any branch of the uniformed services or the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, for an act that would be grounds for disciplinary action under the Board’s disciplinary statutes;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="8">
      <text>Willfully makes or files a false report or record while performing the duties of an environmental health specialist;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="9">
      <text>Willfully fails to file or record any report as required by law, willfully impedes or obstructs the filing or recording of the report, or induces another to fail to file or record the report;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="10">
      <text>Submits a false statement to collect a fee;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="11">
      <text>Promotes the sale of land, devices, appliances, or goods provided for a person in such a manner as to exploit the person for financial gain of the licensed environmental health specialist;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="12">
      <text>Willfully alters a sample, specimen, or any test procedure to cause the results upon analysis to represent a false finding;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="13">
      <text>Violates any rule or regulation adopted by the Board;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="14">
      <text>Uses or promotes or causes the use of any misleading, deceiving, or untruthful advertising matter, promotional literature, or testimonial;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="15">
      <text>Is professionally, physically, or mentally incompetent; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="16">
      <text>Fails to cooperate with a lawful investigation conducted by the Board.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>Except as provided in subsection (d) of this section, any person, including a Board employee, may make a written, specific charge of a violation under this section, if the person:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Swears to the charge; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Files the charge with the Board secretary.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>If a licensed environmental health specialist knows of an action or condition that might be grounds for action under subsection (b) of this section, the licensed environmental health specialist shall report the action or condition to the Board.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>An individual shall have the immunity from liability described under § 5–702 of the Courts Article for making a report as required by this subsection.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
