Section effective until January 1, 2017. See, also, section 40-57-720 effective January 1, 2017.

1. (A) Investigations must be conducted in accordance with Section 40-1-80 and must be performed by investigators who have completed one hundred hours of training in programs that are approved by the commission and provide instruction on real estate principles, state statutory and regulatory law, and investigative techniques.
2. (B) A restraining order must be obtained in accordance with Section 40-1-100.

3. (C)

   1. (1) Whenever the department has reason to believe that a violation of this chapter has occurred, an investigation must be initiated within thirty days.
   2. (2) The department shall conclude its investigation within one hundred fifty days from receipt of the complaint or seek a waiver of this period from the commission upon a showing of due diligence and extenuating circumstances.
   3. (3) A hearing on the charges must be at the time and place designated by the commission and must be conducted in accordance with the Administrative Procedures Act.
   4. (4) The commission shall render a decision and shall serve, within ninety days, notice, in writing, of the commission's decision to the licensee charged. The commission also shall state in the notice the date upon which the ruling or decision becomes effective.
   5. (5) The department shall maintain a public docket or other permanent record in which must be recorded all orders, consent orders, or stipulated settlements.
4. (D) A licensee may voluntarily surrender his license in accordance with Section 40-1-150.

5. (E)

   1. (1) The commission may impose disciplinary action in accordance with Section 40-1-120.
   2. (2) Upon determination by the commission that one or more of the grounds for discipline exists, as provided for in Section 40-1-110 or Section 40-57-140, the commission may impose a fine of not less than one hundred or more than one thousand dollars for each violation. The commission may recover the costs of the investigation and the prosecution as provided for in Section 40-1-170.
   3. (3) Nothing in this section prevents a licensee from voluntarily entering into a consent order with the commission wherein violations are not contested and sanctions are accepted.
6. (F) The department annually shall post a report that provides the data for the number of complaints received, the number of investigations initiated, the average length of investigations, and the number of investigations that exceeded one hundred fifty days.

HISTORY: 1997 Act No. 24, Section 1; 2004 Act No. 218, Sections 22 and 23; 2014 Act No. 258 (S.75), Section 2, eff June 9, 2014.