Prohibited acts by unlicensed principals; investigation; hearing; penalties.

(1) No uncertified or unregistered person associated with a contracting firm qualified by the licensee under this chapter shall:

(a) Conceal or cause to be concealed, or assist in concealing, from the primary qualifying agent, any material activities or information about the contracting firm;

(b) Exclude or facilitate the exclusion of any aspect of the contracting firm’s financial or other business activities from the primary qualifying agent;

(c) Knowingly cause any part of the contracting firm’s activities, financial or otherwise, to be conducted without the primary qualifying agent’s supervision; or

(d) Assist or participate with any certificateholder or registrant in the violation of any provision of this chapter.

(2) The department shall cause an investigation of any incident where it appears that any uncertified or unregistered person associated with a contracting firm is in violation of this section. When, after investigation, the department finds there is probable cause to believe this section has been violated, the department shall prepare and file an administrative complaint which shall be served on the uncertified or unregistered person. The department shall prosecute the complaint pursuant to chapter 120.

(3) Upon a finding of a violation of this section, the department is authorized to impose a fine of not more than $5,000 and assess reasonable investigative and legal costs for the prosecution of the violation against the violator. Any such fine and assessments shall be paid within 30 days of the filing of the final order with the department. In the event of an appeal, the time for payment of any fine and assessments shall be stayed until a final order is rendered upholding the department decision.

(4) In the event any fine and assessments imposed by the department are not paid within the time provided for payment, the department may bring action as provided in s. 489.129(6)(b) in the appropriate circuit court of the state for enforcement of the final order, and the circuit court shall not rehear the merit of those matters included in the final order of the department.

(5) The department may suspend, revoke, or deny issuance or renewal of a certificate or registration for any individual or business organization that associates a person as an officer, director, or partner, or in a managerial or supervisory capacity, after such person has been found under a final order to have violated this section or was an officer, director, partner, trustee, or manager of a business organization disciplined by the board by revocation, suspension, or fine in excess of $2,500, upon finding reasonable cause that such person knew or reasonably should have known of the conduct leading to the discipline.