§ 31-5-14. Penalties for violations by dealers. (a) Upon the complaint of the department, any person violating any of the provisions of §§ 31-5-1 - 31-5-20, shall, upon conviction for the first offense, be punished by a fine of not less than fifty dollars ($50.00) nor more than one hundred dollars ($100), or by imprisonment for not less than ten (10) days nor more than thirty (30) days, or by both a fine and imprisonment. For a second or subsequent conviction, that person shall be fined not less than one hundred dollars ($100) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by imprisonment for not less than thirty (30) days nor more than six (6) months, or by both a fine and imprisonment.

(b) If the department shall have reason to believe that any person, firm, corporation, or association is violating the provisions of this chapter, the department may issue its order to the person, firm, corporation, or association commanding them to appear before the department, at a hearing to be held not sooner than ten (10) days nor later than twenty (20) days after issuance of the order, to show cause why the department should not issue an order to the person to cease and desist from violating the provisions of this chapter. The order to show cause may be served on any person, firm, corporation, or association named in it by any person in the same manner that a summons in a civil action may be served, or by mailing a copy of the order to the person at any address at which he or she has done business or at which he or she lives. If at the hearing the department shall be satisfied that the person is in fact violating any provision of this chapter, then the department shall order the person in writing to cease and desist from the violation. All these hearings shall be conducted in accordance with chapter 35 of title 42. If the person shall subsequently fail to comply with the order of the department, the superior court for Providence County shall have jurisdiction upon the complaint of the department to restrain and enjoin the person from violating this chapter.

(c) In addition to the fines described in subsection (a) of this section, the department may impose fines on holders of any license issued by the department pursuant to this chapter of not less than fifty dollars ($50.00) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), for violations of any of the provisions of §§ 31-5-1 - 31-5-20 and §§ 31-5-33 - 31-5-39, or for violation of any rules or regulations promulgated pursuant to § 31-5-2.

History of Section. (P.L. 1950, ch. 2595, art. 7, § 5; P.L. 1953, ch. 3232, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 31-5-14; P.L. 1981, ch. 219, § 1; P.L. 1986, ch. 486, § 1; P.L. 1989, ch. 334, § 1; P.L. 1991, ch. 44, art. 14, § 1.)