Board of Architecture and Interior Design.

(1) The Board of Architecture and Interior Design is created within the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. The board shall consist of 11 members. Five members must be registered architects who have been engaged in the practice of architecture for at least 5 years; three members must be registered interior designers who have been offering interior design services for at least 5 years and who are not also registered architects; and three members must be laypersons who are not, and have never been, architects, interior designers, or members of any closely related profession or occupation. At least one member of the board must be 60 years of age or older.

(2) Members shall be appointed for 4-year staggered terms.

(3)(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of ss. 455.225, 455.228, and 455.32, the duties and authority of the department to receive complaints and investigate and discipline persons licensed or registered under this part, including the ability to determine legal sufficiency and probable cause; to initiate proceedings and issue final orders for summary suspension or restriction of a license or certificate of registration pursuant to s. 120.60(6); to issue notices of noncompliance, notices to cease and desist, subpoenas, and citations; to retain legal counsel, investigators, or prosecutorial staff in connection with the licensed practice of architecture or registered interior design; and to investigate and deter the unlicensed practice of architecture as provided in s. 455.228 are delegated to the board. All complaints and any information obtained pursuant to an investigation authorized by the board are confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1) as provided in s. 455.225(2) and (10).

(b) The board shall contract with a corporation or other business entity pursuant to s. 287.057 to provide investigative, legal, prosecutorial, and other services necessary to perform its duties.

(c) The corporation or business entity shall comply with all the record-keeping and reporting requirements of s. 455.32 applicable to the scope of the contract and shall report directly to the board in lieu of the department. Records of the corporation or other business entity contracting with the board shall be considered public records as specified in s. 455.32(15).

(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 455.228, the board may use funds in the unlicensed activity account established under s. 455.2281 to perform its duties relating to unlicensed activity under this subsection.

(e) The board shall submit an annual budget request to the department by October 1 of each year for the purpose of funding its activities under this subsection. The department, on behalf of the board, shall submit the budget request unchanged to the Executive Office of the Governor and the Legislature pursuant to s. 216.023.

(f) The board shall issue an annual report on the activities under this subsection by October 1 of each year. The annual report shall be submitted to the Executive Office of the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the chairs of the legislative appropriations committees. The report shall describe all of the activities performed under this subsection for the previous fiscal year and shall include, but need not be limited to, the following:

1. The number of complaints received.

2. The number of complaints determined to be legally sufficient.

3. The number of complaints determined to be legally insufficient.

4. The number of complaints dismissed.

5. The number of complaints filed in circuit court.

6. The number of complaints determined to have probable cause.

7. The number of administrative complaints issued and the status of the complaints.

8. The number and nature of disciplinary actions taken by the board.

9. The number and the amount of fines and penalties imposed.

10. The number and the amount of fines and penalties collected.

11. Total revenues received and all expenses incurred by the contractor during the previous fiscal year.

12. Total completed investigations.

13. Total pending investigations.

14. A summary of any audits performed, including financial reports and performance audits of the contractor.

(4) The board may establish minimum procedures, documentation, and other requirements for indicating evidence of the exercise of responsible supervising control by a person licensed under this part in connection with work performed both inside and outside the licensee’s office.