(A) A person violating this chapter or another chapter or section of Title 47 assigned to the jurisdiction of the commission or related regulations is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than that amount authorized as the jurisdictional maximum for a summary court or imprisoned not more than that period of time authorized as the jurisdictional maximum for a summary court, or both, for a first offense and in the discretion of the court for a second offense.

(B) The director, after opportunity for a hearing, may deny, suspend, modify, or revoke a permit for a violation of state or federal law or regulation or duly published requirements of the commission. In addition to denial, suspension, revocation, or modification of a permit or other penalties set forth in this chapter, the permittee who violates the provisions in subsection (A) may be assessed a civil penalty by the director of not more than one thousand dollars for each violation. Each day a violation continues constitutes a separate violation. The director may suspend a permit against which a civil penalty has been imposed if the permittee has not satisfied the penalty within thirty days after the permittee receives notification of the final decision of the director to impose the penalty. The permittee is entitled to a hearing on the suspension, but the suspension remains in effect pending the hearing and the decision of the director. Matters considered by the hearing officer are limited to whether a duly issued final order of the director existed, whether the permittee had notice of the final order, and whether the assessed penalty was paid within thirty days of the notice. A determination by the director is final unless within thirty days after the receipt of the notice of final determination the person adversely affected appeals to the Administrative Law Court as provided in Sections 1-23-380(B) and 1-23-600(D). The filing of a judicial appeal does not act as an automatic stay of enforcement of the suspension.

(C) The commission may enforce its ordinances and regulations in a court of competent jurisdiction by civil as well as criminal proceedings. If it is necessary to issue a writ of injunction, no court in this State has the right previous to a trial upon the merits to set aside the writ on bond. The commission may utilize its own counsel or call upon the Attorney General or the appropriate solicitor, or all of the foregoing. The commission and its agents in the discharge of the duties and in the enforcement of the powers delegated in this chapter may administer oaths and hear witnesses, and to that end the sheriffs of the State shall serve all summons and other papers upon the request of the commission.

HISTORY: 1994 Act No. 362, Section 1, eff May 3, 1994; 1995 Act No. 22, Section 6, eff April 4, 1995; 2000 Act No. 290, Section 1, eff May 19, 2000; 2006 Act No. 387, Section 25, eff July 1, 2006.

Editor's Note

2006 Act No. 387, Section 53, provides as follows:

"This act is intended to provide a uniform procedure for contested cases and appeals from administrative agencies and to the extent that a provision of this act conflicts with an existing statute or regulation, the provisions of this act are controlling."

2006 Act No. 387, Section 57, provides as follows:

"This act takes effect on July 1, 2006, and applies to any actions pending on or after the effective date of the act. No pending or vested right, civil action, special proceeding, or appeal of a final administrative decision exists under the former law as of the effective date of this act, except for appeals of Department of Health and Environmental Control Ocean and Coastal Resource Management and Environmental Quality Control permits that are before the Administrative Law Court on the effective date of this act and petitions for judicial review that are pending before the circuit court. For those actions only, the department shall hear appeals from the administrative law judges and the circuit court shall hear pending petitions for judicial review in accordance with the former law. Thereafter, any appeal of those actions shall proceed as provided in this act for review. For all other actions pending on the effective date of this act, the action proceeds as provided in this act for review."