A. The division on its own motion or upon the verified complaint in writing of any person shall investigate the actions of any licensee or certificate holder. The director may assign one or more inspectors certified pursuant to Section 60-13-41 NMSA 1978, investigators or other personnel to investigate that licensee or certificate holder or any activity within the jurisdiction of the Construction Industries Licensing Act. The director may authorize an inspector or investigator to enter any code jurisdiction to make investigations. The investigation shall be for the purpose of determining if there has been a code violation or other breach of Section 60-13-23, 60-13-24 or 60-13-36 NMSA 1978 on the part of a licensee or certificate holder constituting probable grounds for revocation or suspension of his license or certificate.

B. The person assigned by the director shall make an immediate investigation, securing all pertinent facts and statements, including a statement from the contractor, if he is available, and names and addresses of witnesses. Within one hundred eighty days of receipt of the complaint by the division, he shall make a full and complete written report to the director.

C. Complaints may be resolved informally at the request of the complainant, the contractor or the commission. For informal resolution of a complaint, all parties must agree to the informal hearing and agree that the decision of the informal hearing officer is final. The procedures for informal hearings and resolution of complaints shall be established by the commission.

D. All revocation and suspension proceedings conducted by the commission and judicial review of the commission's decision shall be governed by the provisions of the Uniform Licensing Act [61-1-1 to 61-1-31 NMSA 1978]. Prior to any revocation action by the commission, notice of the pending action shall be given to the bonding company which has in effect for the licensee any bond issued pursuant to the proof of responsibility provisions of the Construction Industries Licensing Act.

History: 1953 Comp., § 67-35-30, enacted by Laws 1967, ch. 199, § 30; 1977, ch. 245, § 189; 1977, ch. 377, § 4; 1978, ch. 73, § 2; 1989, ch. 6, § 26.

Obtaining statement from licensee. — This section does not require the investigator to obtain a statement from the licensee before proceeding with the revocation hearing; the statute is properly read as requiring only that the inspector make a reasonable effort to gather all pertinent information during the investigation. Oden v. State, Regulation & Licensing Dep't, 1996-NMSC-022, 121 N.M. 670, 916 P.2d 1337.