1568.0822
. (a) In addition to the suspension, temporary suspension,
or revocation of a license issued under this chapter, the department
may levy a civil penalty.
(b) The amount of the civil penalty shall not be less than
twenty-five dollars ($25) or more than fifty dollars ($50) per day
for each violation of this chapter, except where the nature or
seriousness of the violation or the frequency of the violation
warrants a higher penalty or an immediate civil penalty assessment,
or both, as determined by the department. Except as otherwise
provided in this chapter, a civil penalty assessment shall not exceed
one hundred fifty dollars ($150) per day per violation.
(c) Notwithstanding Section 1568.07, the department shall assess
an immediate civil penalty of one hundred fifty dollars ($150) per
day per violation for any of the following serious violations:
(1) (A) Fire clearance violations, including, but not limited to,
overcapacity, ambulatory status, inoperable smoke alarms, and
inoperable fire alarm systems. The civil penalty shall not be
assessed if the licensee has done either of the following:
(i) Requested the appropriate fire clearance based on ambulatory,
nonambulatory, or bedridden status, and the decision is pending.
(ii) Initiated eviction proceedings.
(B) A licensee denied a clearance for bedridden residents may
appeal to the fire authority, and, if that appeal is denied, may
subsequently appeal to the Office of the State Fire Marshal, and
shall not be assessed an immediate civil penalty until the final
appeal is decided, or after 60 days has passed from the date of the
citation, whichever is earlier.
(2) Absence of supervision, as required by statute and regulation.
(3) Accessible bodies of water, when prohibited in this chapter or
regulations adopted pursuant to this chapter.
(4) Accessible firearms, ammunition, or both.
(5) Refused entry to a facility or any part of a facility in
violation of Section 1568.07 or 1568.071.
(6) The presence of an excluded person on the premises.
(d) For a violation that the department determines resulted in the
death of a resident, the civil penalty shall be fifteen thousand
dollars ($15,000).
(e) For a violation that the department determines constitutes
physical abuse, as defined in Section 15610.63 of the Welfare and
Institutions Code, or resulted in serious bodily injury, as defined
in Section 243 of the Penal Code, to a resident, the civil penalty
shall be ten thousand dollars ($10,000).
(f) Prior to the issuance of a citation imposing a civil penalty
pursuant to subdivision (d) or (e), the decision shall be approved by
the program administrator of the Community Care Licensing Division.
(g) Notwithstanding Section 1568.07, any residential care facility
that is cited for repeating the same violation of this chapter
within 12 months of the first violation is subject to an immediate
civil penalty of one hundred fifty dollars ($150) and fifty dollars
($50) for each day the violation continues until the deficiency is
corrected.
(h) Any residential care facility that is assessed a civil penalty
pursuant to subdivision (g) that repeats the same violation of this
chapter within 12 months of the violation subject to subdivision (g)
shall be assessed an immediate civil penalty of one thousand dollars
($1,000) and one hundred dollars ($100) for each day the violation
continues until the deficiency is corrected, provided that the
violation is a serious violation.
(i) (1) The department shall adopt regulations setting forth the
appeal procedures for deficiencies.
(2) A notification of a deficiency written by a representative of
the department shall include a factual description of the nature of
the deficiency fully stating the manner in which the licensee failed
to comply with the specified statute or regulation, and, if
applicable, the particular place or area of the facility in which the
deficiency occurred.
(j) (1) A licensee shall have the right to submit to the
department a written request for a formal review of a civil penalty
assessed pursuant to subdivisions (d) and (e) within 15 business days
of receipt of the notice of a civil penalty assessment and shall
provide all available supporting documentation at that time. The
review shall be conducted by the deputy director of the Community
Care Licensing Division. The licensee may submit additional
supporting documentation that was unavailable at the time of
submitting the request for review within the first 30 business days
after submitting the request for review. If the department requires
additional information from the licensee, that information shall be
requested within the first 30 business days after receiving the
request for review. The licensee shall provide this additional
information within 30 business days of receiving the request from the
department. If the deputy director determines that the civil penalty
was not assessed, or the finding of deficiency that resulted in the
assessment of the civil penalty was not made, in accordance with
applicable statutes or regulations of the department, he or she may
amend or dismiss the civil penalty or finding of deficiency. The
licensee shall be notified in writing of the deputy director's
decision within 60 business days of the date when all necessary
information has been provided to the department by the licensee.
(2) Upon exhausting the review described in paragraph (1), a
licensee may further appeal that decision to an administrative law
judge. Proceedings shall be conducted in accordance with Chapter 5
(commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of
the Government Code, and the department shall have all the powers
granted by those provisions. In all proceedings conducted in
accordance with this section, the standard of proof shall be by a
preponderance of the evidence.
(3) If, in addition to an assessment of civil penalties, the
department elects to file an administrative action to suspend or
revoke the facility license that includes violations relating to the
assessment of the civil penalties, the department review of the
pending appeal shall cease and the assessment of the civil penalties
shall be heard as part of the administrative action process.
(k) (1) A licensee shall have the right to submit to the
department a written request for a formal review of any other civil
penalty or deficiency not described in subdivision (j) within 15
business days of receipt of the notice of a civil penalty assessment
or a finding of a deficiency, and shall provide all available
supporting documentation at that time. The review shall be conducted
by a regional manager of the Community Care Licensing Division. The
licensee may submit additional supporting documentation that was
unavailable at the time of submitting the request for review within
the first 30 business days after submitting the request for review.
If the department requires additional information from the licensee,
that information shall be requested within the first 30 business days
after receiving the request for review. The licensee shall provide
this additional information within 30 business days of receiving the
request from the department. If the regional manager determines that
the civil penalty was not assessed, or the finding of the deficiency
was not made, in accordance with applicable statutes or regulations
of the department, he or she may amend or dismiss the civil penalty
or finding of deficiency. The licensee shall be notified in writing
of the regional manager's decision within 60 business days of the
date when all necessary information has been provided to the
department by the licensee.
(2) Upon exhausting the review described in paragraph (1), the
licensee may further appeal that decision to the program
administrator of the Community Care Licensing Division within 15
business days of receipt of notice of the regional manager's
decision. The licensee may submit additional supporting documentation
that was unavailable at the time of appeal to the program
administrator within the first 30 business days after requesting that
appeal. If the department requires additional information from the
licensee, that information shall be requested within the first 30
business days after receiving the request for the appeal. The
licensee shall provide this additional information within 30 business
days of receiving the request from the department. If the program
administrator determines that the civil penalty was not assessed, or
the finding of the deficiency was not made, in accordance with
applicable statutes or regulations of the department, he or she may
amend or dismiss the civil penalty or finding of deficiency. The
licensee shall be notified in writing of the program administrator's
decision within 60 business days of the date when all necessary
information has been provided to the department by the licensee. The
program administrator's decision is considered final and concludes
the licensee's administrative appeal rights regarding the appeal
conducted pursuant to this paragraph.
(l) The department shall adopt regulations implementing this
section.
(m) The department shall, by January 1, 2016, amend its
regulations to reflect the changes to this section made by Section 4
of Chapter 813 of the Statutes of 2014.
(n) Notwithstanding the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5
(commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of
the Government Code), the department may implement and administer
the changes made by the act that added this subdivision through
all-county letters or similar written instructions until regulations
are adopted pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act.
(o) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2015.