83-502. Same; civil penalties. (a) In addition to any other penalty provided by law, any person who violates any provision of chapter 83 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, and amendments thereto, or any rules and regulations adopted thereunder, may incur a civil penalty imposed under subsection (b) in the amount, fixed by rules and regulations of the secretary of agriculture, of not less than $100 nor more than $5,000 for each such violation and, in the case of a continuing violation, every day such violation continues shall be deemed a separate violation.

(b) In determining the amount of the civil penalty, the following shall be taken into consideration: (1) The extent of harm caused by the violation; (2) the nature and persistence of the violation; (3) the length of time over which the violation occurs; (4) any corrective actions taken; and (5) any and all relevant circumstances.

(c) All civil penalties assessed shall be due and payable within 10 days after written notice of assessment is served on the person, unless a longer period of time is granted by the secretary. If a civil penalty is not paid within the applicable time period, the secretary may file a certified copy of the notice of assessment with the clerk of the district court in the county where the weighing and measuring device or dispensing device is located. The notice of assessment shall be enforced in the same manner as a judgment of the district court.

(d) No civil penalty shall be imposed pursuant to this section except upon the written order of the duly authorized agent of the secretary to the person who committed the violation or to the person whose agent or employee committed the violation. Such order shall state the violation, the penalty to be imposed and the right of the person to appeal to the secretary. Any such person, within 20 days after notification, may make written request to the secretary for a hearing in accordance with the provisions of the Kansas administrative procedure act. The secretary shall affirm, reverse or modify the order and shall specify the reasons therefor.

(e) Any person aggrieved by an order of the secretary made under this section may appeal such order to the district court in the manner provided by the Kansas judicial review act.

(f) An appeal to the district court or to an appellate court shall not stay the payment of the civil penalty.

(g) Any civil penalty recovered pursuant to the provisions of this section or recovered under the consumer protection act for violations of any provision of K.S.A. 83-219, and amendments thereto, shall be remitted to the state treasurer in accordance with the provisions of K.S.A. 75-4215, and amendments thereto. Upon receipt of each such remittance, the state treasurer shall deposit the entire amount in the state treasury to the credit of the weights and measures fee fund.

History: L. 1996, ch. 146, § 1; L. 2001, ch. 5, § 486; L. 2010, ch. 17, § 224; July 1.