(a) The executive director of the commission may issue a complaint to any person or entity on whom an administrative civil penalty may be imposed pursuant to Section 25534. The complaint shall allege the act or failure to act for which the civil penalty is proposed, the provision of law authorizing civil liability, and the proposed civil penalty.

(b) The complaint shall be served by personal notice or certified mail, and shall inform the party so served that a hearing will be conducted within 60 days after the party has been served. The hearing shall be before the commission. The complainant may waive the right to a hearing, in which case the commission shall not conduct a hearing.

(c) After any hearing, the commission may adopt, with or without revision, the proposed decision and order of the executive director.

(d) Orders setting an administrative civil penalty shall become effective and final upon issuance thereof, and any payment shall be made within 30 days. Copies of these orders shall be served by personal service or by registered mail upon the party served with the complaint and upon other persons who appeared at the hearing and requested a copy.

(e) In determining the amount of the administrative civil penalty, the commission shall take into consideration the nature, circumstance, extent, and gravity of the violation or violations, whether the violation is susceptible to removal or resolution, the cost to the state in pursuing the enforcement action, and with respect to the violator, the ability to pay, the effect on ability to continue in business, any voluntary removal or resolution efforts undertaken, any prior history of violations, the degree of culpability, economic savings, if any, resulting from the violation, and such other matters as justice may require.

(Added by Stats. 1987, Ch. 1079, Sec. 2.)