This chapter contains rules and administrative procedures for regular and special meetings, adjudicative proceedings hearings and reviews, public records and other activities of the board, board members and board staff in executing their responsibilities under chapters 18.43 and 18.210 RCW.

The following definitions shall apply to this chapter:

(1) "Adjudicative proceedings" are processes of administrative review provided by the board and may be either a formal hearing before the full board including witness testimony or a simplified review by a single presiding officer without witness testimony.

(2) "Administrative review" means an objective review of an initial enforcement or licensing decision made by board staff, to which any person adversely affected by such a decision is entitled by law.

(3) "Board administrative staff" or "board staff" means staff who perform the day-to-day operations and administration for the board and who may make preliminary decisions on licensing and enforcement matters.

(4) "Case manager" means a board member who provides expertise and works with board staff on a specific licensing or enforcement matter and who will not participate in a judicial capacity on that matter.

(5) "Presiding officer" means a member of the board who may preside over a full board hearing, conduct prehearing conferences, or perform a brief adjudicative proceeding.

(6) "Respondent" means the person who has been named in a complaint and may request an administrative review of a board staff decision as described herein.

The board processes complaints as follows:

(1) Anyone may submit a complaint against a licensed or unlicensed person alleging unprofessional conduct, unlicensed practice, or any other violations of chapter 18.43, 18.235, or 18.210 RCW. Complaints must be sworn to in writing and should include documentation of the alleged conduct.

(2) Upon receipt of the complaint, board staff will send an acknowledgment of the complaint to the complainant. If the subject of the complaint ("respondent") is a licensee, the board will notify the licensee respondent that a complaint was filed against them and include a copy of the complaint documents.

(3) Board staff will conduct an initial review of the complaint to determine whether the complaint raises a potential violation that would fall within the jurisdiction of the board's regulatory powers. If the complaint does not raise a potential violation of law within the board's jurisdiction, the complaint is administratively closed after recommendation to the board, and the parties are notified of the closure.

(4) If there is a potential violation, a case is opened, a case file is created, and an investigator and case manager are assigned. The respondent is notified, and a response to the allegations in the complaint is requested.

(5) The investigator will conduct a formal investigation which may include requests for documentation and interviews of the complainant, respondent, and other associated parties. All records gathered during the investigation will be placed in the case file.

(6) When the investigation is complete, the case manager will review and evaluate the case file with the investigator, and may ask additional questions of any party, or call for further investigation. When the case manager completes their review, they will draft a written report, which will include facts, possible violations and recommendation on the disposition of the case which may be case closure, case closure with remedial counseling, or issuance of charges.

(7) The board may resolve a complaint or investigation at any time during this process.

(8) If a complainant requests reopening of a closed complaint or investigation, the board may only do so upon receipt of additional evidence or information in support of the original complaint that is relevant to the allegations. Submission of additional documentation does not guarantee the complaint or investigation will be reopened.

When the board makes an enforcement or licensing decision that negatively affects a licensee, applicant, or unlicensed practitioner under chapters 18.43 and 18.210 RCW, that person is entitled to request administrative review of the decision pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act, chapters 34.05 RCW and 10-08 WAC.

The Administrative Procedure Act, chapters 34.05 RCW and 10-08 WAC apply to all adjudicative proceedings under the jurisdiction of the board.

Administrative review is performed by one of the following types of adjudicative proceedings:

(1) A formal adjudicative hearing before the entire board with the presentation of witness testimony and/or documentary evidence; or

(2) A brief adjudicative proceeding (BAP) before a single presiding officer, which may be used for the review of simple matters where no witness testimony is needed.

(3) An emergency adjudicative proceeding under RCW 34.05.479, which may be used when there is an immediate danger to the public health, safety, or welfare requiring immediate board action.

(1) The board may conduct brief adjudicative proceedings as provided in RCW 34.05.482 through 34.05.494 of the Administrative Procedure Act.

(2) Brief adjudicative proceedings may only be allowed when a respondent challenges the following categories of board decisions:

(a) A denial of application for licensure, including renewal, reinstatement, or denial of eligibility to take examinations;

(b) A finding that a licensee has failed to meet continuing professional development requirements;

(c) A finding that a licensee has violated the terms of a final order or agreed order issued by the board or the board's designee;

(d) A finding that a person has engaged in false, deceptive, or misleading advertising, or engaged in unlicensed practice.

The records for the brief adjudicative proceeding may include, but are not limited to:

(1) License related denials:

(a) All correspondence, including emails, between the applicant or respondent and the board staff regarding an initial determination including copies of applications, renewal notice(s), denials, or appeals;

(b) All documents received by the board from or on behalf of the applicant, licensee or respondent relating to information, payments, or explanations that have been provided to the board;

(c) Copies of all supplementary information related to application or complaint review by staff or board member;

(d) All documents relied upon by board staff in reaching the initial determination;

(e) Any other information that may be of assistance to the presiding officer in deciding the case.

(2) Determination of compliance with previously issued board order:

(a) The previously issued final order or agreement;

(b) All reports or other documents submitted by, or at the direction of, the license holder, in full or partial fulfillment of the terms of the final order or agreement;

(c) All correspondence between the license holder and the board regarding compliance with the final order or agreement; and

(d) All documents relied upon by the board showing that the license holder has failed to comply with the previously issued final order or agreement.

A brief adjudicative proceeding is conducted by a presiding officer as designated by the board chair. The presiding officer shall have knowledge and experience in the administrative processes of the board and the requirements of the provisions for a brief adjudicative proceeding as provided in chapter 34.05 RCW and WAC 196-09-050 through 196-09-060, but shall not have participated in the determination or action under review. Except as may be otherwise required by the presiding officer, the following procedures shall apply:

(1) Both parties shall provide any written statements, explanations, documents, emails, and other information they feel might be relevant as instructed by the presiding officer.

(2) In unique circumstances, during the administrative review, the presiding officer may ask questions and take testimony of the respondent and the board staff, as necessary to supplement the record.

(3) No other witnesses may appear to testify. If the presiding officer determines that witnesses are needed to make a decision, the proceeding will be converted into a formal hearing.

(4) The presiding officer may convert the brief adjudicative proceeding into a formal hearing if they determine, for any reason, that a formal hearing is needed.

(5) At the time any unfavorable action is taken, the presiding officer may serve upon each party a preliminary brief statement of the reasons for the decision. Within ten days of the preliminary statement, the presiding officer shall give the parties a written order containing the findings and conclusions supporting the decision and information about any internal administrative review available.

(6) The brief written statement is an initial order. If no review is taken of the initial order as authorized by RCW 34.05.488 and 34.05.491, the initial order shall be the final order.

The reimbursement of investigative costs may be ordered by the board if the adjudicative process has resulted in a board order. Costs subject to reimbursement are those expenses paid by the board during the investigation process, such as expert or consultant witness contracts.

In addition, the disciplinary authority may impose a civil fine in an amount not exceeding one thousand dollars for each day upon which a person engaged in the unlicensed practice of a profession or operation of a business for which a license is required by one or more of the chapters specified in RCW 18.235.020; chapters 18.43 and 18.210 RCW.

In the course of an investigation and request by the board under its authority in chapter 18.43 RCW, a licensee or registrant must provide access to any papers, records, or documents in their possession or accessible to them that pertain to the allegations in a complaint or investigation, and may provide a written explanation addressing such complaint/investigation or other information requested by the board. A facility related to a complaint or investigation shall be made accessible by the licensee during regular business hours.

All meetings of the board are held in accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act, chapter 42.30 RCW. The Washington state board of registration for professional engineers and land surveyors shall hold its annual meeting in the third week of June each year. All other meetings of the board are held at such times and places as the board may deem necessary.

At the annual meeting the board shall elect a chair and vice chair to hold office for one year commencing July 9. Any resignation from the position of chair shall be filled for the remainder of the term by the vice chair.

(1) When a member of the board of registration for professional engineers and land surveyors (Board) is beneficially interested, directly or indirectly, in a contract, sale, lease, purchase or grant that may be made by, through, or is under the supervision of the board in whole or in part, or when the member accepts, directly or indirectly, any compensation, gratuity, or reward from any other person beneficially interested in such contract, sale, lease, purchase or grant, the member must:

(a) Exclude him or herself from the board discussion regarding the specific contract, sale, lease, purchase or grant;

(b) Exclude him or herself from the board vote on the specific contract, sale, lease, purchase or grant; and

(c) Refrain from attempting to influence the remaining board members in their discussion and vote regarding the specific contract, sale, lease, purchase or grant.

(2) The prohibition against discussion set forth in sections (a) and (c) may not prohibit the member of the board from using his or her general expertise to educate and provide general information on the subject area to the other members.

(1) When a member of the board of registration for professional engineers and land surveyors (Board) either owns a beneficial interest in or is an officer, agent, employee or member of an entity or individual, which is subject to a board action, the member must:

(a) Recuse him or herself from the board discussion regarding the specific action;

(b) Recuse him or herself from the board vote on the specific action; and

(c) Refrain from attempting to influence the remaining board members in their discussion and vote regarding the specific action.

(2) The prohibition against discussion and voting set forth in sections (a) and (c) may not prohibit the member of the board from using his or her general expertise to educate and provide general information on the subject area to the other members.

(3) "Board action" may include any of the following:

(a) An investigation or adjudicative proceeding;

(b) Application or submission;

(c) Request for a ruling or other determination decision, finding, ruling, or order; or

(d) Monetary grant, payment, or award.

If exclusion or recusal occurs pursuant to WAC 196-09-130 or 196-09-131, the member of the board should disclose to the public the reasons for his or her exclusion or recusal from any board action whenever it occurs. The board staff should record each instance of exclusion or recusal and the basis for it in the minutes of the board meetings.

All public records of the board are available for public inspection and copying pursuant to these rules and applicable state law (chapter 42.56 RCW), as follows:

(1) Inspection of records. Public records are available for inspection and copying during normal business hours of the office of the Washington state board of registration for professional engineers and land surveyors. Records may be inspected at the board's office when the requestor has been notified of the availability of the requested documents and an appointment is made with the public records officer.

(2) Records index. An index of public records, consisting of the retention schedules applicable to those records, is available to members of the public at the board's office.

(3) Organization of records. The board maintains its records in a reasonably organized manner. The board will take reasonable actions to protect records from damage and disorganization. A requestor shall not take original records from the board's office. A variety of records are also available on the board's website at https://brpels.wa.gov/. Requestors are encouraged to view the documents available on the website prior to submitting a public records request.

(4) Making a request for public records.

(a) Any person wishing to inspect or obtain copies of public records should make the request using the board's public records request form available on the board's website or in writing by letter or email addressed to the public records officer. Written request must include the following information:

(i) Date of the request.

(ii) Name of the requestor.

(iii) Address of the requestor and other contact information, including telephone number and any email addresses.

(iv) Clear identification of the public records requested to permit the public records officer or designee to identify and locate the records.

(b) The public records officer may also accept requests for public records by telephone or in person. If the public records officer or designee accepts an oral or telephone request, he or she will confirm receipt of the request and the details of the records requested, in writing, to the requestor.

(c) If the requests received in (a) or (b) of this subsection are not sufficiently clear to permit the public records officer to identify the specific records requested, the public records officer will request clarification from the requestor in writing.

(d) If the requestor wishes to have copies of the records made instead of simply inspecting them, he or she should make that preference clear in the request. Copies will be made by the board's public records officer or designee.

(e) When fulfilling public records requests, the board will perform its public records responsibilities in the most expeditious manner consistent with the board's need to fulfill its other essential functions.

(f) By law, certain records and/or specific content of any specific record or document may not be subject to public disclosure. Accordingly, a reasonable time period may occur between the date of the request and the ability of the public records officer to identify, locate, retrieve, remove content not subject to disclosure, prepare a redaction log that includes the specific exemption, a brief explanation of how the exemption applies to the records or portion of the records being withheld, and produce the records for inspection and/or copying. The requestor will be kept informed of the expected delivery timetable.

(g) If the request includes a large number of records, the production of the records for the requestor may occur in installments. The requestor will be informed, in writing, of the board's anticipated installment delivery timetable.

(h) In certain instances, the board may notify affected third parties to whom the record relates. This notice allows the affected third party to seek an injunction within fifteen days from the date of the written notice. The notice further provides that release of the records to the requestor will be honored unless timely injunctive relief is obtained by the affected third party on or before the end of the fifteen-day period.

(i) Requests for lists of credentialed individuals by educational organizations and professional associations: In order to obtain a list of individuals under the provisions of RCW 42.56.070(8), educational organizations and professional associations must provide sufficient information to satisfy the board that the requested list of individuals is primarily for educational and professionally related uses.

Board forms are available on the board's website or upon request.

All licensees in this state must notify the board in writing within thirty days of any change of mailing address or email address. Corporations and LLCs licensed in this state must notify the board of any opening, closing, or relocation of the main office or a branch office in this state.