37-16-411. Revocation or suspension of license -- investigations -- fines. (1) The board may, at its discretion or upon written complaint of an aggrieved person, investigate an alleged violation of this chapter by a licensee or applicant for licensure. If the investigation discloses a probable violation of this chapter, the board may, pursuant to the provisions of 37-1-136, suspend or revoke the accused person's license or suspend or deny the person's application for a fixed period to be determined by the board.
     (2) A person licensed under this chapter may have the license revoked or suspended for a fixed period to be determined by the board or be fined not to exceed $500 per incident for any of the following causes:
     (a) being convicted of a felony, subject to chapter 1, part 2, of this title. The record of the conviction or a certified copy from the clerk of the court for the district where the conviction occurred or certification by the judge of the court is conclusive evidence of the conviction, except that if the person has been pardoned by a governor or the president of the United States, the conviction does not constitute grounds for revocation or suspension.
     (b) securing a license under this chapter through fraud, deceit, or false statements;
     (c) the personal use of a false name or alias in professional practice;
     (d) violating any of the provisions of this chapter;
     (e) obtaining a fee or making any sale by fraud or misrepresentation;
     (f) knowingly employing, directly or indirectly, any suspended or unlicensed person to perform any work covered by this chapter;
     (g) using or causing or promoting the use of any advertising matter, promotional literature, testimonial, guarantee, warranty, label, brand, insignia, or any other representation, however disseminated or published, that is improbable, misleading, deceptive, or untruthful;
     (h) representing that the services or advice of a person licensed to practice medicine or possessing certification as an audiologist will be used or made available in the selection, fitting, adjustment, maintenance, or repair of hearing aids and related devices if that is not true or using the terms "doctor", "clinic", "hearing clinic", "state registered", or other similar words, abbreviations, or symbols that tend to connote the medical profession when that use is not accurate;
     (i) permitting another to use the license or certificate;
     (j) defaming competitors by falsely imputing to them dishonorable conduct, inability to perform contracts, or questionable credit standing or by other false representations or falsely disparaging the products of competitors in any respect or their business methods, selling prices, values, credit terms, policies, or services;
     (k) using any method of advertising prohibited by trade practice rules 1 through 17 of the federal trade commission;
     (l) obtaining information concerning the business of a competitor by bribery of an employee or agent of that competitor, by false or misleading statements or representations, by the impersonation of one in authority, or by any other unlawful means;
     (m) directly or indirectly giving or offering to give or permitting or causing to be given money or anything of value to any person who advises another in a professional capacity as an inducement to influence others to purchase or contract to purchase products sold or offered for sale by a hearing aid dispenser or influencing persons to refrain from dealing in the products of competitors;
     (n) unethical conduct or gross incompetence or negligence in the performance of professional duties, including repeated failure to make indicated medical referrals of customers;
     (o) selling a hearing aid or related device to a person who has not been given tests using appropriate established procedures and instrumentation in fitting hearing aids or related devices, except for the sale of a replacement hearing aid or a related device of the same make and model within 1 year of the original sale;
     (p) falsifying hearing test or evaluation results or any associated client records;
     (q) refusing to cooperate with an investigation by the board by:
     (i) failing to furnish requested records or documents;
     (ii) failing to furnish a complete explanation of matters referred to in the complaint;
     (iii) failing to respond to a subpoena issued by the board;
     (iv) willfully misrepresenting any relevant fact to a board investigator; or
     (v) attempting to discourage a potential witness from cooperating with a board investigator or from testifying by using threats, harassment, extortion, or bribery.

     History: En. Sec. 17, Ch. 204, L. 1969; amd. Sec. 27, Ch. 101, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 66-3017; amd. Sec. 15, Ch. 404, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 155, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 72, L. 1995.