(1) The board has the power to deny, suspend, revoke, or refuse to renew the license and certificate of licensure or enrollment of, limit the scope of practice of, or place on probation, any professional engineer or engineer-intern for:

(a) Engaging in fraud, misrepresentation, or deceit in obtaining or attempting to obtain a license or enrollment;

(b) Failing to meet the generally accepted standards of engineering practice whether through act or omission;

(c) A felony that is related to the ability to practice engineering; except that the board shall be governed by the provisions of section 24-5-101, C.R.S., in considering such conviction or plea. A certified copy of the judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction of such conviction or plea shall be presumptive evidence of such conviction or plea for the purposes of any hearing under this part 1. A plea of nolo contendere, or its equivalent, accepted by the court shall be considered as a conviction.

(d) (Deleted by amendment, L. 88, p. 504, § 4, effective July 1, 1988.)

(e) Violating, or aiding or abetting in the violation of, the provisions of this part 1, any rule or regulation adopted by the board in conformance with the provisions of this part 1, or any order of the board issued in conformance with the provisions of this part 1;

(f) Using false, deceptive, or misleading advertising;

(g) Performing services beyond one's competency, training, or education;

(h) Failing to report to the board any professional engineer known to have violated any provision of this part 1 or any board order or rule;

(i) Habitual or excessive use or abuse of alcohol, controlled substances, or any habit-forming drug;

(j) Using any schedule I controlled substance, as set forth in section 18-18-203, C.R.S.;

(k) Failing to report to the board any malpractice claim against such professional engineer or any partnership, corporation, limited liability company, or joint stock association of which such professional engineer is a member, that is settled or in which judgment is rendered, within sixty days of the effective date of such settlement or judgment, if such claim concerned engineering services performed or supervised by such engineer;

(l) Failing to pay any fine assessed pursuant to this article;

(m) Violating any law or regulation governing the practice of engineering in another state or jurisdiction. A plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent accepted by the board of another state or jurisdiction may be considered to be the same as a finding of guilty for purposes of any hearing under this part 1.

(n) Using in any manner an expired, suspended, or revoked license, certificate, or seal, practicing or offering to practice when not qualified, or falsely claiming that the individual is licensed.

(2) (a) When a complaint or investigation discloses an instance of misconduct that, in the opinion of the board, does not warrant formal action by the board but that should not be dismissed as being without merit, the board may issue and send a letter of admonition by first-class mail to the professional engineer or engineer-intern at his or her last-known address.

(b) When the board sends a letter of admonition to a professional engineer or engineer-intern, the board shall advise the professional engineer or engineer-intern that he or she has the right to request in writing, within twenty days after receipt of the letter, that formal disciplinary proceedings be initiated to adjudicate the propriety of the conduct upon which the letter of admonition is based.

(c) If the request for adjudication is timely made, the letter of admonition shall be deemed vacated and the matter shall be processed by means of formal disciplinary proceedings.

(3) (Deleted by amendment, L. 94, p. 1486, § 8, effective July 1, 1994.)

(4) (a) In addition to any other penalty that may be imposed pursuant to this article, the board may fine any professional engineer violating any provision of this article or any rule promulgated pursuant to this article not less than fifty dollars and not more than five thousand dollars for each violation proven by the board.

(b) All fines collected pursuant to this subsection (4) shall be credited to the general fund.

(5) The board may issue a letter of concern to a professional engineer or an engineer-intern based on any of the grounds specified in subsection (1) of this section without conducting a hearing as specified in section 12-25-109 (4) when an instance of potentially unsatisfactory conduct comes to the board's attention but, in the board's judgment, does not warrant formal action by the board. Letters of concern shall be confidential and shall not be disclosed to members of the public or in any court action unless the board is a party.