§711.8. Powers of the board

A. The board shall have the power to make, adopt, amend, and promulgate bylaws not inconsistent with the constitution and laws of this state, which may be reasonably necessary for the proper performance of its duties, and the regulation of the proceedings before it. The board shall adopt and have an official seal, which shall be affixed to all licenses and certificates issued.

B.(1) Each member of the board shall have power to administer oaths, and the board shall have power to subpoena witnesses and compel the production of books and papers pertinent to any investigation, hearing, or disciplinary or enforcement proceeding authorized by this Chapter, and any employee of the board engaged in such investigation, hearing, or disciplinary or enforcement proceeding shall have the power to administer oaths to and take the depositions of persons pertaining to any investigation, hearing, or disciplinary or enforcement proceeding.

(2) The board may require any law enforcement officer or any state agency, the sheriffs of the various parishes, or constables, marshals, or other law enforcement officers of any parish or municipality to serve such subpoenas and other process of said board. Whenever parish, municipal, or other local officers are required to serve such subpoenas or other process of the board, they shall be paid the same fees by the board as are provided by law for similar services under processes issued by district courts.

(3)(a) Any person who shall fail to appear in response to a subpoena or to answer any question or produce any books or papers pertinent to any such investigations, hearings, or disciplinary or enforcement proceedings or who shall knowingly give false testimony therein shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to the actions, sanctions, and penalties provided by this Chapter.

(b) In case of contumacy or refusal to obey a subpoena issued to any person, any district court within the jurisdiction of which the inquiry is carried on, or within the jurisdiction of which said person guilty of contumacy or refusal to obey is found, or resides, or transacts business upon application by the board, shall have jurisdiction to issue to such person an order requiring such person to appear before the board, its member, or agent, and to produce evidence, if so ordered, or there to give testimony relating to the matter under consideration or in question; and any failure to obey such order of court may be punished by said court as a contempt thereof.

C.(1) The board shall adopt, promulgate, and enforce rules and regulations in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, which may be reasonably necessary for the protection of the public and proper administration of this Chapter. These rules and regulations shall be binding upon all applicants, licensed geologists and geologists-in-training, including all geoscience firms. These rules and regulations shall be made known, in writing, to every applicant, licensee, and certificate holder under this Chapter. The board may revise and amend these rules and regulations from time to time, in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, and shall notify each licensee and certificate holder in writing or by notice in the official journal of the board of such revision or amendment.

(2) The board may establish, adopt, promulgate, and publish rules and regulations in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, concerning the procurement of professional geoscientific services.

D. The board is hereby authorized in its own name to apply for relief by injunction in the established manner provided in cases of civil procedure to enforce the provisions of this Chapter, or to restrain any violation thereof. In such proceedings, it shall be unnecessary to allege or prove that either an adequate remedy at law does not exist or that substantial or irreparable damage would result from the continued violation thereof.

E. The board may subject an applicant to such examinations as it deems necessary to determine his qualifications. In the event a question arises as to the competence of a licensee or certificate holder in a specific technical field which cannot be otherwise resolved to the board's satisfaction, the board, either upon request of the licensee or certificate holder or on its own volition, may submit the licensee or certificate holder to appropriate examinations.

F. The board, by rule or regulation adopted in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, may create license or renewal rules for licensees and former licensees, and may establish classifications of licensure including but not limited to active, expired, inactive, and retired classifications.

Acts 2010, No. 974, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2011.