The commissioner of commerce may by order deny a registration, censure, suspend, or revoke a registrant and require payment of all costs of proceedings resulting in an action instituted under this section and impose a civil penalty of not more than $10,000 if the commissioner of commerce finds: (i) that the order is in the public interest; and (ii) that the registrant or, in the case of a registrant that is not a natural person, any partner, officer, or director, any person occupying a similar status or performing similar functions, or any person directly or indirectly controlling the registrant:

(1) has engaged in conduct that departs from or fails to conform to the minimal standards of acceptable and prevailing engineering, hydrogeological, or other technical practices within the reasonable control of the consultant or contractor;

(2) has participated in a kickback scheme prohibited under section 115C.045;

(3) has engaged in conduct likely to deceive or defraud, or demonstrating a willful or careless disregard for public health or the environment;

(4) has committed fraud, embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsified or destroyed records, made false statements, received stolen property, made false claims, or obstructed justice;

(5) is the subject of an order revoking, suspending, restricting, limiting, or imposing other disciplinary action against the contractor's or consultant's license or certification in another state or jurisdiction;

(6) if the person is a consultant, has failed to comply with any of the ongoing obligations for registration as a consultant in section 115C.11, subdivision 1;

(7) has failed to comply with any provision or any rule or order under this chapter or chapter 45;

(8) has engaged in anticompetitive activity;

(9) has performed corrective action without having an accurate and complete registration on file with the board or has allowed another to perform corrective action when that party does not have a complete registration on file with the board;

(10) has been shown to be incompetent, untrustworthy, or financially irresponsible;

(11) has made or assisted another in making any material misrepresentation or omission to the board, commissioner, commissioner of commerce, or upon reasonable request has withheld or concealed information from, or refused to furnish information to, the board, commissioner, or commissioner of commerce; or

(12) has failed to reasonably supervise its employees or representatives to assure their compliance with this chapter and Minnesota Rules, chapter 2890.

History: 1996 c 308 s 10; 1Sp2001 c 2 s 135