A. The local government authority may institute proceedings for the suspension or revocation of any permit issued pursuant to the Pawnbrokers Act upon the filing of a written complaint by the local law enforcement agency, the designated representative of that local law enforcement agency or the attorney general, charging the permit holder or an employee thereof, of having violated any provision of the Pawnbrokers Act.

B. The local government authority shall serve written notice upon the permitholder of the alleged violation. The notice requirement is satisfied if personal service of the notice is had upon the holder of the permit or is posted in a conspicuous place upon the permitholder's place of business.

C. The local government authority shall set a date for hearing on the complaint not more than ten days, nor less than five days, after the date of notice unless waived by all parties thereto. The notice provided for in Subsection B of this section shall specify the date and time of the hearing.

D. The permitholder and any other interested person shall have the right to appear at this administrative hearing and to produce evidence. The rules of evidence shall not apply. If, after holding this hearing, the local government authority determines that the permitholder is in violation of the provisions of the Pawnbrokers Act as charged in the complaint, the local government authority shall issue a written order. The order may suspend the permit for a stated period of time or permanently revoke the permit. The local government authority shall cause such order to be served upon the permitholder and filed in the office of the clerk for public inspection within five business days after the hearing. Service of the order on the permitholder shall be as specified in Subsection B of this section, and the official serving the order shall have the authority to remove the permit from the premises and deliver that permit to the local government authority. This hearing shall be the final administrative remedy.

History: Laws 1985, ch. 228, § 8.