§11-410 Administrative fines; relief. (a) The commission may make a decision or issue an order affecting any person violating any provision of this part or section 281-22 that may provide for the assessment of an administrative fine as follows:

(1) If an individual, an amount not to exceed $1,000 for each occurrence or an amount equivalent to three times the amount of an unlawful contribution or expenditure; or

(2) If a corporation, organization, association, or labor union, an amount not to exceed $1,000 for each occurrence;

provided that whenever a corporation, organization, association, or labor union violates this part, the violation may be deemed to be also that of the individual directors, officers, or agents of the corporation, organization, association, or labor union, who have knowingly authorized, ordered, or done any of the acts constituting the violation.

(b) Any order for the assessment of an administrative fine shall not be issued against a person without providing the person written notice and an opportunity to be heard at a hearing conducted under chapter 91. A person may waive these rights by written stipulation or consent.

(c) If an administrative fine is imposed upon a candidate, the commission may order that the fine, or any portion, be paid from the candidate's personal funds.

(d) If the person to whom the commission's order is directed does not comply with the order, the first circuit court, upon application of the commission, shall issue an order requiring the person to comply with the commission's order. Failure to obey such a court order shall be punished as contempt.

(e) Any administrative fine collected by the commission shall be deposited in the general fund of the State.

(f) Any person or the commission may sue for injunctive relief to compel compliance with this part.

(g) The provisions of this section shall not prohibit prosecution under any appropriate provision of the Hawaii Penal Code or section 11-412.

(h) This section shall not apply to any person who, prior to the commencement of proceedings under this section, has paid or agreed to pay the fines prescribed by sections 11-340 and 11-391(b). [L 2010, c 211, pt of §2]