(1) Whenever the Department of Legal Affairs has reason to believe that a person has been, or is, violating this part, and if it appears to the department that a cease and desist order against such violation would be in the interest of the public, it shall issue and serve upon such person a complaint and order stating its charges in that respect and containing a notice of a hearing upon a day and at the place therein fixed at least 30 days after the service of said complaint. Said hearing shall be held in conformity with the provisions of chapter 120.

(2) The department may modify or set aside its order at any time by rehearing upon its own motion when such rehearing is in the interest of the public welfare.

(3) Judicial review of orders of the department shall be in accordance with the provisions of s. 120.68 and shall take precedence over other civil cases pending and shall be expedited in every way.

(4) An order of the department to cease and desist shall not become effective until 10 days after all administrative action has been concluded or, if appeal is made to the district court of appeal and bond is posted, until a final order has been entered by that court.

(5) No cease and desist order shall act as a limitation upon any other action or remedy available to a person aggrieved by a violation of this act.

(6) When a court remands an order of the department for rehearing, such rehearing shall be held within 45 days after the remand.

(7) Any person who violates a cease and desist order of the department after it has become final and while such order is in effect shall forfeit and pay to the state a civil penalty of not more than $5,000 for each violation which shall accrue to the state and may be recovered in a civil action brought by the state. Each separate violation of such an order shall be a separate offense, except that in the case of a violation through continuing failure or neglect to obey a final order of the department, each day of continuance of such failure or neglect shall be deemed a separate offense.

History.—s. 1, ch. 73-124; s. 22, ch. 78-95; s. 4, ch. 79-386.