OAR 259-020-0200: Denial, Suspension or Revocation of Licensure

(1) The Department may deny, suspend or revoke the license of any applicant, polygraph examiner or trainee after written notice, and a hearing if requested, upon finding that the applicant, polygraph examiner or trainee: (a) Failed to meet the minimum standards for a polygraph examiner or trainee as described in OAR 259-020-0120 and OAR 259-020-0130; (b) Failed to pass the examination for licensure within three attempts pursuant to OAR 259-020-0150; (c) E ngaged in conduct that violates any provisions found within the Act or these rules; or (d) Engaged in any of the behaviors described in ORS 703.210. For the purposes of this rule, ORS 703.210(6), demonstrating an inability or incompetency to carry out the duties of a polygraph examiner or trainee, is defined as: (A) Conduct that violates the law; (B) Conduct that violates the practices or standards generally followed in the polygraph profession; (C) Conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of justice; (D) Conduct that involves untruthfulness; (E) The use of test questions relating to sexual, religious, or political matters, unless such matters relate to the issue under investigation; or (F) The deliberate use of unclear, misleading, circuitous, or ambiguous language in describing or explaining the relevant issue of the examination or the results of the examination. (2) In accordance with ORS 703.140, the Department will immediately suspend the license of a polygraph examiner or trainee after written Notice, and a hearing if requested, based upon a finding that the licensee failed to provide written notification of a change in the licensee’s business name, address or contact information as required by OAR 259-020-0100. (3) The Department will initiate a professional standards case upon receipt or discovery of information that would lead an objectively reasonable person to conclude that the applicant or licensee has violated the provisions of the Act or the rules established by the Board for licensure as a polygraph examiner or trainee. For the purpose of this rule, receipt of information may include, but is not limited to: (a) Notification of a conviction, or any other criminal disposition, of a licensed polygraph examiner, trainee or applicant; or (b) Any complaint submitted to the Department alleging that a licensed polygraph examiner, trainee or applicant may have engaged in conduct that violates the statutory and administrative rule requirements for licensure as a polygraph examiner or trainee. (4) Complaints. All complaints will be reviewed by the Department to determine if the allegations, if founded, may violate the statutory and administrative rule requirements for licensure as a polygraph examiner or trainee. Complaints determined to fall outside of the Department’s jurisdiction will be administratively closed. (5) Review of a Professional Standards Case by the Department. When the Department receives factual information from any source, the Department will review the information to determine if the conduct may meet statutory and administrative rule requirements for denial, suspension or revocation as defined in section (1) of this rule. (a) If the Department determines that the conduct being reviewed does not meet the statutory and administrative rule requirements for denial, suspension or revocation, the case will be administratively closed. (b) If the Department determines that the conduct being reviewed may meet the statutory and administrative rule requirements for denial, suspension or revocation, but is not supported by adequate factual information, the Department may request further information from the parties involved or conduct its own investigation of the matter. (c) When the Department determines that the conduct being reviewed may meet the statutory and administrative rule requirements for denial, suspension or revocation, the case may be presented to the Board, in consultation with the Director. (6) Review of a Professional Standards Case by the Board in Consultation with the Director. (a) In making a decision to authorize initiation of proceedings under section (10) of this rule, the Director may consult the Polygraph Licensing Advisory Committee. (b) When the Department presents a professional standards case to the Board, through the Director, a notification will be sent to the affected applicant or licensee by the Department. The notification will include the deadlines for the affected person to present evidence of factors that may support mitigation. The affected person may present mitigation evidence by one or both of the following: (A) Submitting documents or written statements as supporting evidence for mitigation of the conduct under review to the Department for consideration by the Director and the Board. (B) Arranging with the Department to present a verbal statement. Verbal statements are limited to a maximum of five minutes and must be presented, in person, by the affected person, or the representative of their choice. (c) In order to determine whether or not the conduct engaged in by the applicant or licensee meets the statutory and administrative rule requirements for denial, suspension or revocation, the Board, in consultation with the Director, will review the conduct and consider mitigating and aggravating circumstances. (d) When the Board, in consultation with the Director, determines that the conduct being reviewed meets the statutory and administrative rule requirements for denial, suspension or revocation and that the conduct reviewed rises to the level to warrant denial, suspension or revocation of the person’s licensure, the affected person will be ineligible for licensure as a polygraph examiner or trainee for up to 10 years. (e) The Board, in consultation with the Director, will determine how long the applicant or licensee will be ineligible for licensure as a polygraph examiner or trainee based on the totality of the professional standards case which includes review of the misconduct and factors supporting aggravation or mitigation pursuant to this rule. (f) An individual whose licensure has been denied, suspended or revoked is prohibited from conducting polygraph examinations, referring to themselves as a polygraph examiner or trainee or offering or advertising services as a polygraph examiner or trainee. (7) Ineligibility Period. Any applicant, polygraph examiner or trainee whose licensure is denied, suspended or revoked will be ineligible to hold any polygraph examiner or trainee license for a period up to 10 years. (a) The period of ineligibility will be included in any Final Order of the Department. (b) The first day of the ineligibility period will be based upon the date the conduct or behavior, identified as cause for denial, suspension or revocation, occurred. (c) The ineligibility period will cease when the applicable timeframe stated in the Final Order has been satisfied. (d) The prescribed ineligibility period for subsection (1) (b) of this rule, failure to pass the examination for licensure, is a period of two years and one day. (8) The Board’s decision to deny, suspend or revoke certifications will be subject to the contested case procedure described in section (10) of this rule. (9) Eligibility for Licensure after Satisfying an Ineligibility Period. (a) In order to be eligible for licensure after satisfying an ineligibility period, the affected person must meet all of the minimum requirements as described in OAR 259-020-0120 or OAR 259-020-0130. (b) Satisfaction of ineligibility period means the conduct for which the person was denied, suspended or revoked is no longer a course of behavior that would prohibit them licensure. (c) Any application for licensure submitted by a person whose ineligibility period has not been satisfied will be denied pursuant to section (10) of this rule. (10) Initiation of Proceedings: Upon determination that the reason for denial, suspension or revocation is supported by factual data meeting the statutory and administrative rule requirements, the Department will prepare a Contested Case Notice. (a) All contested case notices will be prepared in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Attorney General’s Model Rules of Procedure adopted under OAR 259-005-0015. The Department will have a copy of the notice served on the person whose license is being affected. (b) Response time: (A) A party who has been served with a Contested Case Notice of Intent to Deny Licensure has 60 calendar days from the date of mailing or personal service of the notice in which to file with the Department a written request for hearing or a written notice withdrawing their application for consideration. (B) A party who has been served with a Contested Case Notice of Intent to Revoke Licensure has 20 calendar days from the date of mailing or personal service of the notice in which to file with the Department a written request for hearing. (C) A party who has been served with a Contested Case Notice of Intent to Suspend Licensure has 10 calendar days from the date of mailing or personal service of the notice in which to file with the Department a written request for hearing. (c) Default Order: If a timely request for a hearing is not received, the Contested Case Notice will become a final order denying, revoking or suspending licensure pursuant to OAR 137-003-0672. (d) The Department may enter a Final Order revoking the licensure of a polygraph examiner or trainee upon the person’s withdrawal of a request for hearing and written agreement to accept the Department’s revocation of licensure as a polygraph examiner or trainee. If the person’s licensure as a polygraph examiner or trainee is revoked pursuant to this subsection, the person is ineligible for licensure as a polygraph examiner or trainee for 10 years. The Department will deny any application that the person submits for licensure as a polygraph examiner or trainee, pursuant to section (10) of this rule, if the 10 year ineligibility period has not been satisfied. (11) Upon receipt of written notification of the suspension or revocation of a license by the Department, a polygraph examiner or trainee must immediately surrender the license to the Department. (12) Appeal Procedure. Polygraph examiners or trainees aggrieved by the findings and Order of the Department may file an appeal with the Court of Appeals from the Final Order of the Department, as provided in ORS 183.480. (13) A licensed polygraph examiner or trainee may request the Department accept the surrender of their license. (a) In considering whether to accept the request to surrender licensure as a polygraph examiner or trainee, the Department may request further information from the licensee or conduct its own investigation to determine if any minimum standards for licensure have been violated and proceed pursuant to this rule. (b) If an administrative proceeding has commenced pursuant to section (10) of this rule, the Department may, in its discretion, withdraw its Contested Case Notice of Intent and accept the person’s surrender of the polygraph examiner or trainee license. (c) The polygraph examiner or trainee license will remain active until the Department accepts the surrender. (d) Once the surrender has been accepted by the Department, the individual may no longer conduct polygraph examinations, refer to themselves as a polygraph examiner or offer or advertise services as a polygraph examiner . (14) Pursuant to ORS 703.220, the Department may restore a suspended or revoked license to the prior holder upon written application and receipt by the Department of evidence that the conditions which caused the suspension or revocation have been corrected to the satisfaction of the Department.