(a) Competency. A registered accessibility specialist shall ensure compliance, be knowledgeable of, and adhere to the Act, the TAS, and this chapter. A registered accessibility specialist shall exercise reasonable judgment and skill in the performance of plan reviews, inspections, and related activities.
(b) Integrity. A registered accessibility specialist shall not:
  (1) be deceitful or make misrepresentations, whether by acts of commission or omission, in the performance of plan review, inspection, and related activities; or
  (2) commit acts or practices that constitute threats, coercion, or extortion.
(c) Conflict of Interest.
  (1) If a registered accessibility specialist has any business association or financial interest which might reasonably appear to influence the individual's judgment in connection with the performance of a professional service and thereby jeopardize an interest of the registered accessibility specialist's current or prospective client or employer, the registered accessibility specialist shall promptly inform the client or employer in writing of the circumstances of the business association or financial interest.
  (2) A registered accessibility specialist shall not solicit or accept, directly or indirectly, any financial or other valuable consideration, material favor, or other benefit of any substantial nature, financial or otherwise, from more than one party in connection with a single project or assignment unless the circumstances are fully disclosed in writing to all parties.
  (3) A registered accessibility specialist shall not perform plan reviews, inspections, or related activities, such as preliminary plan reviews or pre-construction site assessments, while also providing consulting or other professional services on the same registered project. Non-design related review services are not consulting or professional services for the purposes of this section.
(d) Specific Rules of Conduct. A registered accessibility specialist shall not:
  (1) participate, whether individually or in concert with others, in any plan, scheme, or arrangement attempting or having as its purpose the evasion of any provision of the Act, the rules, or the TAS;
  (2) knowingly furnish inaccurate, deceitful, or misleading information to the department, a building owner, or other person involved in a plan review, inspection, or related activity;
  (3) state or imply that the department will approve a variance;
  (4) engage in any activity that constitutes dishonesty, misrepresentation, or fraud while performing a plan review, inspection, or related activity;
  (5) perform a plan review, inspection, or related activity in a negligent or incompetent manner;
  (6) perform a plan review, inspection, or related activity on a building or facility in which the registered accessibility specialist is an owner, either in whole or in part, or an employee of a full or partial owner;
  (7) perform a plan review, inspection, or a related activity on a building or facility that is or will be leased or occupied by an agency of the State of Texas, when the registered accessibility specialist is an employee of the state agency that will occupy the facility;
  (8) perform a plan review, inspection, or related activity on a building or facility wherein the registered accessibility specialist participated in creating the overall design of the current project; or
  (9) represent himself or herself as an employee of the department or as a person hired by the department.

Source Note: The provisions of this §68.76 adopted to be effective November 5, 2001, 26 TexReg 8807; amended to be effective February 1, 2005, 30 TexReg 382; amended to be effective March 1, 2007, 32 TexReg 884; amended to be effective March 15, 2012, 37 TexReg 677; amended to be effective May 15, 2017, 42 TexReg 2333; amended to be effective August 31, 2023, 48 TexReg 4642