Any person who violates subdivision (a) of Section 5536 in connection with the offer or performance of architectural services for the repair of damage to a residential or nonresidential structure caused by a natural disaster for which a state of emergency is proclaimed by the Governor pursuant to Section 8625 of the Government Code, or for which an emergency or major disaster is declared by the President of the United States, shall be punished by a fine up to ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code for 16 months, or for two or three years, or by both the fine and imprisonment, or by a fine up to one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by both the fine and imprisonment.
Does this mean (paraphrasing) that anyone who holds themselves out as an architect in response to a repair of a building damaged in a natural disaster is punished more severely than just the regular ol' fraudster who gets the misdemeanor with fine and potential jail time? Would make sense I guess...prevent people from preying on people in desperate situations...just haven't read or heard about it anywhere else before...