(A) The department may refer reports of violations of this chapter and Article 1, Chapter 1 or any reports of violations of regulations promulgated under this chapter directly to the commission or may issue administrative citations and cease and desist orders in person or by certified mail and may assess administrative penalties against an entity or individual, including unlicensed persons, for violations of this chapter as specified by the commission.

(B) Separate citations may be issued and separate administrative penalties may be assessed for each violation; however, no more than two thousand five hundred dollars in administrative penalties may be assessed against an entity or an individual per day.

(C) Administrative penalties authorized under this section are separate from and in addition to all other remedies, either civil or criminal, and these penalties may not exceed the following limits:

(1) for a first offense, not more than a five-hundred dollar penalty;

(2) for a second offense in a five-year period, the citation must be referred to the commission for action in accordance with Sections 40-59-90 and 40-59-110.

(D) An entity or individual assessed administrative penalties may appeal those penalties to the commission within ten days of receipt of the citation. If an appeal is filed, the department shall schedule a hearing before the commission, which shall make a determination in the matter. If no appeal is filed, the citation is deemed a final order and the administrative penalties must be paid within thirty days of receipt of the citation or other written demand.

HISTORY: 2002 Act No. 359, Section 1.