The board may revoke the license of any registrant who is found guilty by the board of gross negligence, incompetency, or misconduct in the practice of forestry. The board may discipline its licensees by the imposition and collection of an administrative fine set by the board not to exceed two thousand dollars ($2,000) per violation, and may institute any legal proceeding necessary to effect compliance with the chapter. All administrative fines collected by the board shall be deposited in the State Treasury in the "Professional Foresters Fund." The board may designate a person or persons to investigate and report to it upon any charges of fraud, deceit, gross negligence, incompetency, or other misconduct in connection with any forestry practice against any registrant, as may come to its attention. Any person or persons so designated by the board shall receive the same compensation and shall be reimbursed for expenses in the same amount as the board as outlined in Section 34-12-32. Any person may prefer charges of fraud, deceit, gross negligence, incompetency, or other misconduct in connection with any forestry practice against any registrant. The charges shall be in writing, shall be sworn to by the person making them, and shall be filed with the secretary of the board. All charges, unless dismissed by the board as unfounded or trivial, shall be heard by the board within three months after the date on which they have been preferred. The time and place for the hearing shall be fixed by the board, 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 30 days before the date fixed for the hearing. At any hearing, the accused registrant shall have the right to appear personally and by counsel, to cross-examine witnesses appearing against him or her, and to produce evidence and witnesses in his or her own defense. If, after a hearing, three or more members of the board vote in favor of finding the accused guilty, the board may revoke the license of the registered forester. Any applicant whose license has been revoked as above may apply for a review of the proceedings with reference to the revocation of his or her license by the aforementioned circuit court and from there by appeal to the Supreme Court of Alabama. The only record to be considered by either the circuit court or by the Supreme Court shall be the record made before the board. New evidence shall be presented to the board, in session, before it may be used in court proceedings. The board, for reasons it may deem sufficient, may reissue a license to any person whose license has been revoked when three or more members vote in favor of reissuance. A new license to replace a revoked license may be issued, subject to the rules of the board and at a fee set by the board not to exceed an amount equal to twice the annual renewal fee. Lost, destroyed, or mutilated licenses may be issued, subject to the rules of the board and at a fee set by the board not to exceed fifty dollars ($50) for the issuance.
Last modified: May 3, 2021