Every person violates a section, division, paragraph or provision of this chapter when he or she performs an act thereby prohibited or declared unlawful, or fails to act when the failure is thereby prohibited or declared unlawful, or performs an act prohibited or declared unlawful or fails to act when the failure is prohibited or declared unlawful by a code adopted by reference by this chapter and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished as for a misdemeanor, except as otherwise stated in specific provisions hereof.