Section 1798.210 Of Chapter 7. Penalties From California Health And Safety Code >> Division 2.5. >> Chapter 7.
1798.210
. (a) The authority may impose an administrative fine of up
to two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) per violation on any
licensed paramedic found to have committed any of the actions
described by subdivision (c) of Section 1798.200 that did not result
in actual harm to a patient. Fines may not be imposed if a paramedic
has previously been disciplined by the authority for any other act
committed within the immediately preceding five-year period.
(b) The authority shall adopt regulations establishing an
administrative fine structure, taking into account the nature and
gravity of the violation. The administrative fine shall not be
imposed in conjunction with a suspension for the same violation, but
may be imposed in conjunction with probation for the same violation
except when the conditions of the probation require a paramedic's
personal time or expense for training, clinical observation, or
related corrective instruction.
(c) In assessing the fine, the authority shall give due
consideration to the appropriateness of the amount of the fine with
respect to factors that include the gravity of the violation, the
good faith of the paramedic, the history of previous violations, any
discipline imposed by the paramedic's employer for the same
occurrence of that conduct, as reported pursuant to Section 1799.112,
and the totality of the discipline to be imposed. The imposition of
the fine shall be subject to the administrative adjudication
provisions set forth in Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of
Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
(d) If a paramedic does not pay the administrative fine imposed by
the authority and chooses not to renew his or her license, the
authority may enforce the order for repayment in any appropriate
court. This right of enforcement shall be in addition to any other
rights the authority may have to require a paramedic to pay costs.
(e) In any action for collection of an administrative fine, proof
of the authority's decision shall be conclusive proof of the validity
of the order of payment and the terms for payment.
(f) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the authority shall
not license or renew the license of any paramedic who has failed to
pay an administrative fine ordered under this section.
(2) The authority may, in its discretion, conditionally license or
renew for a maximum of one year the license of any paramedic who
demonstrates financial hardship and who enters into a formal
agreement with the authority to reimburse the authority within that
one-year period for the unpaid fine.
(g) All funds recovered under this section shall be deposited into
the state General Fund.
(h) Nothing in this section shall preclude the authority from
imposing an administrative fine in any stipulated settlement.
(i) For purposes of this section, "licensed paramedic" includes a
paramedic whose license has lapsed or has been surrendered.