§30-13-23. Criminal offenses.

Any person who practices or offers to practice engineering in this state without being registered in accordance with the provisions of this article, or any person, firm, partnership, organization, association, corporation or other entity using or employing the words engineer, engineering or any modification or derivative thereof in its name or form of business activity except as authorized in this article, or any person presenting or attempting to use the certificate of registration or the seal of another, or any person who gives any false or forged evidence of any kind to the board or to any member thereof in obtaining or attempting to obtain a certificate of registration, or any person who falsely impersonates any other registrant of like or different name, or any person who attempts to use an expired, suspended or revoked or nonexistent certificate of registration, or who practices or offers to practice when not qualified, or any person who falsely claims that he or she is registered or authorized under this article, or any person who violates any of the provisions of this article is guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than $500, or imprisoned in the county jail not more than six months, or both fined and imprisoned.

Any person who commits a second or subsequent offense under this section is guilty of a felony, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be imprisoned in the penitentiary not less than ten nor more than twenty years.

The Attorney General may act as legal adviser to the board and render any legal assistance as may be necessary in carrying out the provisions of this article. The board may employ counsel and necessary assistance to aid in the enforcement of this article and the compensation and expenses of the council shall be paid from the funds of the board.