2023 Maryland Statutes › Business Regulation › Title 12.5 - Locksmiths › Subtitle 2 - Licensing › Section 12.5-211 - Denial, Reprimand, Suspension, Revocation

(a)    (1)    Subject to the hearing provisions of § 12.5–212 of this subtitle, the Secretary may deny a license to an applicant, reprimand a licensee, or suspend or revoke a license if the applicant or licensee or an agent, employee, manager, or partner of the applicant or licensee:
(i)    fraudulently or deceptively obtains or attempts to obtain a license or photo identification card for the applicant or licensee or for another person;
(ii)    fraudulently or deceptively uses a license or photo identification card;
(iii)    presents or attempts to present the license or photo identification card of another licensee or employee of a licensee as the applicant’s or licensee’s license or photo identification card;
(iv)    uses or attempts to use an expired, suspended, or revoked license or false photo identification card;
(v)    has a similar license or certificate denied, suspended, or revoked in another jurisdiction;
(vi)    under the laws of the United States or of any state, is convicted of a:
1.    felony; or
2.    misdemeanor that is directly related to the fitness and qualification of the applicant or licensee to be involved in providing locksmith services;
(vii)    knowingly employs or knowingly continues to employ an individual who, under the laws of the United States or of any state, is convicted of:
1.    a felony that is directly related to the fitness and qualification of the employee to be involved in providing locksmith services; or
2.    a misdemeanor that is directly related to the fitness and qualification of the employee to be involved in providing locksmith services;
(viii)    fails to maintain the liability insurance required under § 12.5–205 of this subtitle;
(ix)    engages in a pattern of unfair or deceptive trade practices under the Consumer Protection Act, as determined by a final administrative order or judicial decision;
(x)    knowingly uses or permits the use of any of the licensee’s or an employee of a licensee’s skills, tools, or facilities for the commission of any crime;
(xi)    willfully fails to provide or willfully misrepresents any information required to be provided under this title;
(xii)    violates this title; or
(xiii)    violates a regulation adopted under this title.
(2)    (i)    Instead of or in addition to reprimanding a licensee or suspending or revoking a license under this subsection, the Secretary may impose a penalty not exceeding $5,000 for each violation.
(ii)    To determine the amount of the penalty imposed under this subsection, the Secretary shall consider:
1.    the seriousness of the violation;
2.    the harm caused by the violation;
3.    the good faith of the licensee; and
4.    any history of previous violations by the licensee.
(3)    The Secretary shall pay any penalty collected under this subsection into the General Fund of the State.
(b)    The Secretary shall consider the following facts in the granting, denial, renewal, suspension, or revocation of a license or the reprimand of an applicant or licensee when an applicant or licensee is convicted of a felony or misdemeanor described in subsection (a)(1)(vi) of this section:
(1)    the nature of the crime;
(2)    the relationship of the crime to the activities authorized by the license;
(3)    with respect to a felony, the relevance of the conviction to the fitness and qualification of the applicant or licensee to act as a locksmith;
(4)    the length of time since the conviction; and
(5)    the behavior and activities of the applicant or licensee before and after the conviction.