Article 1. Registered Environmental Health Specialists of California Health And Safety Code >> Division 104. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 4. >> Article 1.

It is the intent of the Legislature in adopting this article to safeguard the health, safety, and general welfare of the public by the registration of those environmental health professionals practicing as environmental health specialists who have completed an approved environmental health or science curriculum and who are qualified to work, or are working, within the scope of the field of environmental health as defined by this article. In adopting this article, it is recognized that the field of environmental health is a dynamic field that is continually evolving into new and complex areas of concern. This article recognizes the existence of overlapping functions with other professions carrying out specific activities that may include some aspects of the field of environmental health. The title of a person registered under this article shall be environmental health specialist. Use of the term "sanitarian" or "registered sanitarian" in statutes and regulations shall mean "registered environmental health specialists." A valid registered sanitarian registration shall on January 1, 1989, be a valid registration as an environmental health specialist. The department shall provide a new certificate of registration to that effect.

This article does not require registration of individuals, such as industrial hygienists, health physicists, safety engineers, civil engineers, land surveyors, other registered professional engineers, or others with overlapping functions. This article does not require registration of individuals performing duties described in subdivision (e) of Section 106615, unless those individuals represent themselves as registered environmental health specialists. It is not the intent of this article to require local health departments to employ only registered environmental health specialists, environmental health specialist trainees, or those qualified for registration in jobs involving those overlapping functions. It is the sole purpose of this article to safeguard the health, safety, and general welfare of the public from adverse environmental factors, to register those environmental health professionals practicing as environmental health specialists who have completed an approved environmental health or science curriculum, and are qualified to work, or are working, in the public or private sector in the field of environmental health within the scope of practice as defined in this article, and to protect the public from individuals performing as environmental health specialists without proper qualifications.

The department may, upon recommendation of the Environmental Health Specialist Registration Committee appointed pursuant to Section 106675, adopt any regulations necessary to accomplish the purposes of this article.

The words and phrases defined in this section shall have the following meaning, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
  (a) "Department" means the State Department of Public Health Services.
  (b) "Committee" means the Environmental Health Specialist Registration Committee.
  (c) "Registered environmental health specialist" means an environmental health professional educated and trained within the field of environmental health who is registered in accordance with the provisions of this article.
  (d) "Environmental health specialist trainee" means a person who possesses (1) a minimum of a bachelor's degree, including 30 semester units of basic sciences, from a department approved educational institution or an educational institution of collegiate grade listed in the directory of accredited institutions of postsecondary education compiled by the American Council on Education, but who has not completed the specific coursework and experience requirements in the field of environmental health as required by Section 106660 for registration, and (2) who is engaged in an approved environmental health training plan.
  (e) "Scope of practice in environmental health" means the practice of environmental health by registered environmental health specialists in the public and private sector within the meaning of this article and includes, but is not limited to, organization, management, education, enforcement, consultation, and emergency response for the purpose of prevention of environmental health hazards and the promotion and protection of the public health and the environment in the following areas: food protection; housing; institutional environmental health; land use; community noise control; recreational swimming areas and waters; electromagnetic radiation control; solid, liquid, and hazardous materials management; underground storage tank control; onsite septic systems; vector control; drinking water quality; water sanitation; emergency preparedness; and milk and dairy sanitation pursuant to Section 33113 of the Food and Agricultural Code. Activities of registered environmental health specialists shall be regulated by the department upon the recommendation of the committee.
  (f) "Certificate of registration" means a signed document issued by the department as evidence of registration and qualification to practice as a registered environmental health specialist under this article. The certificate shall bear the designation "registered environmental health specialist" and shall show the name of the person, date of issue, registration number, and seal.
  (g) "Experience requirement" means on-the-job training and experience, as stated in this article, that all environmental health specialist trainees shall complete prior to obtaining eligibility for the environmental health specialist examination.
  (h) "Approved environmental health training plan" means a training program in an organization that plans to utilize environmental health specialist trainees and has on file with the department a copy of its training plan that conforms with the requirements of Section 106665, and that has been approved by the committee.
  (i) "Director" means the director.

Except for the design of onsite septic systems, nothing in this article shall authorize registered environmental health specialists to design any of the fixed works defined in Section 6731 of the Business and Professions Code.

The governing body of a local health department may employ on a full-time basis one or more registered environmental health specialists, each of whom shall be a registered environmental health specialist as provided for in this article for the purpose of the enforcement of statutes related to public health, and the regulations of the department, and any local ordinances of a local health department that relate to activities under subdivision (e) of Section 106615. However, any person who is known as an environmental health specialist trainee may be employed to work under the supervision of a registered environmental health specialist, until he or she is qualified by examination as provided under Section 106670, for a period which shall not exceed three years. Prior to employment, the trainee shall have a current evaluation letter from the department stating that the education qualifications specified in Section 106660 have been met.

Any person may make an application to the department to be registered as an environmental health specialist. The department shall accept complete applications if accompanied by the required fees.
  (a) Application submission, completion and notification.
  (1) Receipt of an application for a certificate of registration as an environmental health specialist shall be deemed to be the date the application is date stamped by the department.
  (2) An application for a certificate of registration as an environmental health specialist is considered complete when a completed application form supplied by the department, proof of successful passage of the registered environmental health specialist examination, as specified in Section 106670, and the initial biennial registration fee are received by the department.
  (3) Written notification by the department to applicants shall be deemed to occur on the date the notifications are postmarked.
  (b) Application review period. The department shall notify the applicant in writing within 15 working days of receipt of an application for a certificate of registration as an environmental health specialist that the application is completed and accepted for filing, or that the application is deficient and what specific information, documentation, or fee, is required to complete the application.
  (c) Application decision period. The department, within three calendar days of filing of a completed application, shall reach a decision regarding the application for a certificate of registration as an environmental health specialist.
  (d) The department shall issue certificates of registration to qualified applicants.
  (e) Duplicate certificate/card of registration shall be issued to individuals who hold valid registration as an environmental health specialist upon payment of ten dollars ($10) for a duplicate certificate and five dollars ($5) for a duplicate registration card.

The requirements for registration of environmental health specialists shall be a minimum of a bachelor's degree from a department approved educational institution or an educational institution of collegiate grade listed in the directory of accredited institutions of postsecondary education compiled by the American Council on Education, with coursework prescribed as follows:

Basic Requirements Experience Training 30 semester or 45 quarter basic science 600 I. units 18 months hrs. including each of the following: General Chemistry Lecture and Laboratory General Physics Lecture and Laboratory or Organic Chemistry Lecture and Laboratory General Microbiology Lecture and Laboratory General Biological Science Lecture and Laboratory Calculus or College Algebra 45 semester or 68 quarter basic science units including the 450 II. following: one year hrs. Three of the required science courses shall include a laboratory: General Chemistry Organic Chemistry General Physics General Microbiology General Biological Science Calculus or College Algebra 30 semester or 45 300 III. quarter basic science 9 months hrs. units including each of the following: General Chemistry Lecture and Laboratory General Physics Lecture and Laboratory or Organic Chemistry Lecture and Laboratory General Microbiology Lecture and Laboratory General Biological Science Lecture and Laboratory Calculus or College Algebra plus Three semester or four quarter unit courses in each of the following: Epidemiology Statistics Public Administration or Environmental Health Adminis- tration and; 10 semester or 15 quarter units in environmental health science, including one or more of the following: water quality, waste management, food and consumer protection, housing and institution sanitation, vector control, recreational health, air quality, milk and dairy products, occupational health, electromagnetic radiation, noise control, toxicology, soil science, or land use development. IV. 45 semester or 68 quarter basic science 6 months 200 units including the hrs. following: Three of the following required science courses shall include a laboratory: General Chemistry Organic Chemistry General Physics General Microbiology General Biological Science Calculus or College Algebra plus Three semester or four quarter unit courses in each of the following: Epidemiology Statistics Public Administration or Environmental Health Adminis- tration and; 10 semester or 15 quarter units in Environmental Health Science, including one or more of the following: water quality, waste management, food and consumer protection, housing and institution sanitation, vector control, recreational health, air quality, milk and dairy products, occupational health, electromagnetic radiation, noise control, toxicology, soil science, or land use development. Possess a minimum of a bachelor's degree in environmental health from an institution approved by V. the committee, which None None includes: required required One year of lecture and laboratory coursework in each of the following: General Chemistry General Physics General Biological Science, and One semester course in: Calculus or College Algebra Organic Chemistry General Microbiology with Laboratory Public Administration or Environmental Health Adminis- tration Epidemiology Statistics Field Orientation Course in Environmental Health Fifteen semester units of environmental health science courses selected from: water quality, waste management, food and consumer protection, housing and institution sanitation, vector control, recreational health, air quality, milk and dairy products, occupational health, electromagnetic radiation, noise control, toxicology, soil science, or land use development.

All basic science coursework including mathematics shall be equal to that acceptable in an approved environmental health degree program.

Educational institutions requesting approval of their environmental health degree program shall first submit their program to the committee for review. If the program meets the prescribed curricula in Section 106635 it shall be submitted to the department for approval.

Those persons who meet the educational, experience, and training requirements of Section 106635 shall be eligible for admission to the examination for registration as an environmental health specialist.

Any person who has applied for environmental health specialist registration, or who is enrolled in an approved environmental health science curriculum, or who is certified by his or her employer as serving as an environmental health specialist trainee in an approved environmental health program on or before December 31, 1988, shall be admitted to the written examination on the basis of the requirements existing on December 31, 1988.

A person who possesses a minimum of a bachelor's degree from a department-approved educational institution or an educational institution of collegiate grade listed in the directory of accredited institutions of postsecondary education compiled by the American Council on Education and has been employed as a certified dairy inspector in the State of California for at least 24 months immediately prior to applying for admission to the environmental health specialist registration examination, shall be eligible for admission to the examination for registration as an environmental health specialist.

Any person meeting the educational qualifications pursuant to Section 106635, but who does not meet the experience requirement of that section, may make application to the department on a form prescribed by the department for acceptance as an environmental health specialist trainee. The department shall accept complete applications if accompanied by the required fees.

An approved environmental health training plan shall include program elements in the training, duration of training, and types of training.
  (a) Program elements, duration of training, and experience are as follows:
  (1) All environmental health specialist trainees, shall complete a basic training period in an approved program. The training period shall include training in at least six elements, with three of the elements selected from the following basic elements:
  (A) Food protection.
  (B) Solid or liquid waste management, or both.
  (C) Water supply.
  (D) Housing and institutions.
  (E) Bathing places.
  (F) Vector control.
  (G) Hazardous materials management or underground tank program, or both. The remaining three elements may include any other basic element or any of the following elements: air sanitation, safety and accident prevention, land development and use, disaster sanitation, electromagnetic radiation, milk and dairy products, noise control, occupational health, and rabies and animal disease control.
  (2) Training in each of three basic elements shall be not less than 20 percent of the total required training hours. Time spent in the remaining three elements shall be not less than 40 percent of the total required training hours. The employer shall designate the methods, elements, and types of training or experience for the remaining part of the time required for entrance to the registered environmental health specialist examination as specified in Section 106670. The specified training may be cumulative and scheduled at the discretion of the employing agency over this period.
  (3) The training may be accomplished by assignments chosen by the employing agency and under the supervision of a registered environmental health specialist.
  (4) For those environmental health specialist trainees requiring more than one year of experience, the additional experience will be in one or more elements of environmental health listed in this section and may be outside of a local environmental health program.
  (5) Training and experience gained working for governmental or a nonprofit entity, or both, may be counted toward the first-year training experience requirement if the training and experience is determined by the department to be equivalent to what would be gained in a local environmental health jurisdiction.
  (b) Types of training: The training program shall be integrated into the environmental health specialist trainee's job assignment and shall include items (1) and (2) and may include items (3), (4), and (5):
  (1) A minimum of 20 hours per month of field instruction with direct supervision by a registered environmental health specialist for the first six months of employment. (The total minimum requirement in this area shall be 150 hours.)
  (2) Independent time with adequate supervision and guidance.
  (3) Office training with pretesting and posttesting.
  (4) Lectures.
  (5) Adequate office time to review and study.
  (c) Requirements for certification of training:
  (1) Environmental health specialist trainees shall receive their training from the department or agency that has a training plan approved by the committee.
  (2) A daily log for the certification of the environmental health specialist trainee shall be maintained by the Director of Environmental Health.
  (A) A daily log covering elements and hours spent of all training shall be kept by the environmental health specialist trainees, and verified by the trainer or supervisor on a weekly basis.
  (B) Short narrative reports or copies of the monthly schedule of the environmental health specialist trainee's training and progress shall be submitted by the training coordinator to the director every month throughout the traineeship.
  (C) The Director of Environmental Health shall review the trainee' s records on a monthly basis and shall certify on a quarterly basis that the records of training are accurate.
  (D) The Director of Environmental Health shall notify the department within 30 days of the date an environmental health specialist trainee is hired or terminated.
  (E) Copies of the environmental health specialist trainee's log, as well as the narrative reports or copies of monthly schedules shall be retained in the personnel file of the environmental health specialist trainee for at least one year after the environmental health specialist trainee successfully completes the registered environmental health specialist examination.
  (3) When an environmental health specialist trainee completes the training program, the Director of Environmental Health shall forward certification to the department. This certification shall include the program areas, length of time, dates for the areas of training and a statement that the environmental health specialist trainee followed the approved training plan.
  (d) Those jurisdictions that cannot provide the required training elements within their jurisdictions shall initiate a program of training exchange with another jurisdiction having an approved training program.

(a) On and after January 1, 1989, only persons who meet the educational and experience requirements as established under Section 106635 shall be eligible for admission to examination for registration as an environmental health specialist.
  (b) The professional examination shall be prescribed by the department with the concurrence of the committee, and a passing score on the examination shall be required prior to registration.
  (c) An applicant who twice fails to pass the written examination shall not be eligible to be reexamined a third time until at least one year has elapsed from the date of the second examination. An applicant who fails the third examination shall not be eligible to take the examination a fourth time until two years have elapsed from the date of the third examination. Thereafter, the examination may not be taken more frequently than once in two years. Reapplication shall be made by submitting a new application with the required fee.

(a) An Environmental Health Specialist Registration Committee shall be appointed to advise and to make recommendations to the department with respect to, and to take other actions as described in this article for the establishment of rules and regulations necessary to ensure, the proper administration and enforcement of the registration of environmental health specialists whose duties in public health and environmental health require knowledge and skills in the physical, biological, and environmental health sciences and whose performance of professional duties is necessary for the promotion of life, health, and well being of the public. The members of the former Sanitarian Registration Certification Committee shall serve as members of the new committee until the expiration of their terms.
  (b) The committee shall consist of the Chief of the Environmental Planning and Local Health Services Branch, department, or the designee of the chief, who shall serve as executive officer but who shall not vote, and the following 10 members who are residents of the state:
  (1) Two members appointed by the director from the California Conference of Directors of Environmental Health who shall be environmental health specialists with at least two years' experience as directors of environmental health in this state.
  (2) Three members appointed by the director, each of whom shall be a qualified, practicing environmental health specialist registered in California for a period of five or more years. For purposes of this subdivision:
  (A) One member shall be employed in the public sector at the time of appointment.
  (B) One member shall be employed in the private sector at the time of appointment.
  (C) One member shall be from the California Environmental Health Association.
  (3) One member appointed by the director from the California Conference of Local Health Officers.
  (4) Two members appointed by the director from the environmental health faculty of those California universities and colleges with approved curricula leading to a degree in environmental health.
  (5) Two public members who have not been engaged at any time within five years immediately preceding their appointment in pursuits that lie within the field of environmental health or the profession regulated by the committee of which they are members. The Senate Rules Committee shall appoint one public member and the Speaker of the Assembly shall appoint one public member.

The terms of the members of the committee first appointed shall be determined by lot and shall expire as follows: two members on January 1, 1985; two members on January 1, 1986; three members on January 1, 1987; and three members on January 1, 1988. Thereafter, appointments shall be for a four-year term. Committee members may serve no more than two successive terms. Each member shall serve on the committee until the appointment and qualification of his or her successor or until one year shall have elapsed since the expiration of the term for which he or she was appointed, whichever occurs first. Vacancies occurring prior to the expiration of the terms shall be filled by appointment for the unexpired term. The director, upon the recommendation of the committee by a two-thirds vote, may remove an appointee member for misconduct in office, incompetency, neglect of duty, or other sufficient cause after due notice and hearing.

(a) The members of the committee shall, annually, in the month of April, elect from their number a chairperson and a secretary.
  (b) The committee shall meet at least twice annually and at other times as it may determine to evaluate applications for registration as environmental health specialists, to review and update examinations, to prepare and recommend reports relative to the administration of this article, and to transact all other business as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this article.
  (c) The committee may hold informal hearings for denial, suspension, refusal to renew, and revocation of registrations for environmental health specialists as provided in Section 106715.
  (d) The committee may hold informal hearings for the purpose of administrative items, make the necessary determinations in conjunction therewith, and issue recommendations to the department consistent with the findings. The department may designate the committee to appoint one or more of its members to serve as a hearing agent. The agent or representatives shall conduct hearings in the manner provided by law.
  (e) Six members of the committee shall constitute a quorum and special meetings of the committee shall be called by the executive officer upon written request by two members of the committee.
  (f) The members of the committee shall serve without compensation, but shall receive their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties on the committee. However, no funds shall be disbursed for those purposes without the prior approval of the department.

(a) The committee shall keep a record of its proceedings.
  (b) The department shall maintain a register of all applications for registration and retain examination papers and records pertaining thereto for a length of time to be determined by the department.
  (c) The department shall maintain a current registry of all registered environmental health specialists and all environmental health specialist trainees in the state.
  (d) Individuals registered under this article are responsible for assuring that the department has a current mailing address for them.

A registered environmental health specialist may maintain registration under a retired biennial registration provided the following requirements are met:
  (a) Has been a working registered environmental health specialist in California for at least 10 years in an area covered in subdivision (e) of Section 106615, unless receiving an on-the-job disability before the 10 years of service as a registered environmental health specialist has elapsed.
  (b) Is at least 50 years old or collecting retirement benefits, or both.
  (c) Not working in a job requiring registration as an environmental health specialist. A person who pays a retired biennial fee shall be registered only as an inactive retired registered environmental health specialist.

(a) A nonreturnable fee shall be paid by a person for each application for registration, application for examination, and biennial renewal.
  (b) Fees shall not exceed the actual administrative costs of the program. Fees, except retired and penalty fees, shall be subject to Section 100425. The actual dollar figure charged shall be rounded to the nearest whole dollar amount. The biennial renewal fee-retired shall be twenty-five dollars ($25).
  (c) The nonreturnable biennial renewal fee shall be paid by each registered environmental health specialist on or before the first day of January of every second year, or on any other date that is determined by the department. Each registered environmental health specialist registered pursuant to this article shall first pay the biennial fee at the time of initial registration to cover the calendar year in which registration is acquired and the following calendar year. Registrations not maintained as required by this subdivision are suspended and remain invalid during the period of suspension. Suspended registrations become revoked three years after the date of suspension. Notwithstanding the provisions of the Government Code, the executive officer shall revoke suspended registrations after three years from the date of suspension for nonpayment of fees.
  (d) An additional penalty fee equal to 50 percent of the biennial renewal fee for each year of delinquency or portion thereof shall be paid by each person who fails to pay the fee required by subdivision (c) within 30 days of the established due date. All accumulated penalty fees shall be paid prior to any revalidation of registration.
  (e) The department shall receive and account for all money received pursuant to this article and shall deposit it with the Treasurer who shall keep the money in a separate fund to be known as the "Registered Environmental Health Specialist Fund," which fund is hereby created.
  (f) Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, funds collected pursuant to the provisions of this article are continuously appropriated without regard to fiscal year to pay expenses of the department to administer the provisions of this article.
  (g) The following fees are hereby established and shall be annually adjusted as required by subdivision (b):
  (1) Application fee--ninety-five dollars ($95).
  (2) Examination fee--one hundred and twenty-six dollars ($126).
  (3) Biennial renewal fee--active--one hundred and seventy-five dollars ($175).

The department upon recommendation of the committee, may, by regulation, establish the requirement and standards for continuing education for registered environmental health specialists. The standards shall be established in a manner to assure that a variety of forms of continuing education are available to registered environmental health specialists.

A valid registration as an environmental health specialist under this article shall only be issued to a person who has:
  (a) Met the applicable education and experience requirements.
  (b) Successfully passed the examination for registration.
  (c) Submitted a complete application in accordance with Section 106630.
  (d) Paid the fees required in Section 106700.
  (e) Not committed acts specified in subdivision (a) of Section 106715.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this article, the department upon the recommendation of the committee may suspend, deny, refuse to renew, or revoke a registration certificate issued under this article after sufficient notice and an opportunity for a hearing and upon findings that the registered environmental health specialist has done any of the following:
  (1) Knowingly made a false statement of fact required to be revealed in the application for registration.
  (2) Been convicted of a crime, if the crime is related to the qualifications, functions, and duties of an environmental health specialist.
  (3) Knowingly made a false statement of fact required to be revealed in an application for, or renewal of, registration.
  (4) Committed an act of deceit, misrepresentation, violation of contract, fraud, negligence, professional incompetence, or unethical practice.
  (b) The procedure to deny, suspend, refuse to renew, or revoke an environmental health specialist registration certificate pursuant to this section shall be as follows:
  (1) All cases, complaints, or allegations charging a violation of this subdivision shall be made in writing and submitted to the department.
  (2) The department shall make a preliminary investigation by:
  (A) Obtaining copies of all pertinent written documents (laws, reports, contacts, and correspondence).
  (B) Interviewing, in person or by telephone, of all individuals involved with the issue.
  (3) The department shall compile the information into a confidential case document that includes the following:
  (A) A description of the complaint.
  (B) A chronology of events.
  (C) Results of the interviews.
  (D) Copies of the written documents.
  (4) The case document shall be submitted to each member of the committee requesting their recommendation whether or not the information warrants further investigation and an informal hearing.
  (5) The department shall review committee recommendations and the preliminary investigation findings and then decide whether to dismiss the complaint or proceed to an informal committee hearing. Dismissal of the charges shall be followed by a letter to both complainant and the registered environmental health specialist involved explaining the department's action.
  (6) If the decision is made to proceed with an informal hearing, the department shall request the committee to appoint one or more hearing officers to hear the case.
  (A) All parties shall be notified of the time and place of the hearing.
  (B) An investigation of the issue may be made by an independent professional investigator if it is felt warranted by the department and the committee. The investigation results shall be submitted to the department, committee hearing officers, complainant, and respondent prior to the hearing.
  (C) The informal hearing shall permit the right to be heard (with an attorney, if desired) and the proceedings recorded. Such a hearing shall be considered an informal level of review and shall be governed by subdivision (g) of Section 100171.
  (D) Upon the finding that a violation of this section occurred, the following disciplinary ranges may be recommended to the department by the committee and may be adopted by the department if the respondent does not timely request further review as specified in subdivision (d):
  (i) Knowingly made a false statement of fact required to be revealed in the application for registration.
  (I) Maximum: Revocation.
  (II) Minimum: Fifteen-day suspension. Range depends on whether or not the registration was falsely approved.
  (ii) Been convicted of a crime, if the crime is related to the qualifications, functions, and duties of a registered environmental health specialist.
  (I) Maximum: Deny, refuse to renew, or revocation of registration.
  (II) Minimum: Ninety-day actual suspension.
  (iii) Knowingly made a false statement of fact required to be revealed in an application for, or renewal of, registration.
  (I) Maximum: Revocation.
  (II) Minimum: Seven-day actual suspension.
  (iv) Committed an act of deceit, misrepresentation, violation of contract, fraud, negligence, professional incompetence, or unethical practice.
  (I) Maximum: Revocation.
  (II) Minimum: Ninety-day suspension stayed for three years on the following conditions of probation. --Forty-five-day actual suspension. --The respondent shall obey all laws and regulations related to the practice of environmental health.
  (c) A copy of the recommendation made to the department by the committee shall be transmitted to the respondent within 10 calendar days of its receipt by the department.
  (d) The respondent may request further review of the recommendation resulting from the informal level of review by sending a letter so stating to the address specified in the letter transmitting the recommendation. To be timely, the request shall be postmarked no later than 15 calendar days after receipt by the respondent of the recommendation at issue. Upon receiving a timely request for review, the department shall set the matter for hearing pursuant to Section 100171.

The department and the committee may use the following criteria to evaluate the potential for rehabilitation or actual rehabilitation of a person prior to denying, suspending, or revoking registration.
  (a) The nature and severity of the act, crime, or violation under consideration as grounds for denial, suspension, or revocation.
  (b) The time that has elapsed since commission of the act, crime, or violation.
  (c) The extent to which the applicant has complied with any terms of parole, probation, restitution, or other sanctions imposed upon the applicant.
  (d) Evidence of rehabilitation or lack of rehabilitation of the applicant.

The department shall, upon application therefor and upon payment of the current application and biennial renewal fees, as determined by the department upon the recommendation of the committee by a two-thirds vote, not to exceed one hundred dollars ($100), issue a certificate of registration as an environmental health specialist to any person who holds a certificate of registration as a sanitarian or an environmental health specialist issued by the proper authority of any state or territory, or possession of the United States, if the requirements for the registration of sanitarians or environmental health specialists under which the certificate was issued are consistent with the provisions of this article and at the time the certificate was granted were at least as stringent as those specified in Section 106635.

This article does not affect or replace any other requirements or qualifications imposed pursuant to state or federal law on persons involved in activities under subdivision (e) of Section 106615.

Only a person who has qualified as a registered environmental health specialist and who holds a valid registration certificate issued in conformance with Section 106710 for use in this state shall have the right and privilege of using the title "registered environmental health specialist" and to use the abbreviation "R.E.H.S." after the person's name. Only a person who has qualified as a registered environmental health specialist trainee and has a letter of acceptance issued by the department shall have the right and privilege of using the title "registered environmental health specialist trainee." Except as permitted in Section 106600 any use of the words "registered sanitarian" or other use of the words "registered environmental health specialist" to denote a working title is prohibited. A person who violates any provision of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and may be fined a sum not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000) or imprisoned for not more than 180 days, or both.