Section 5028 Of Article 2. General Provisions From California Food And Agricultural Code >> Division 4. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 1. >> Article 2.
5028
. (a) Any person who intentionally violates any state or
federal quarantine law or regulation is liable civilly as provided in
Sections 5310 and 5311, and subdivision (c) of this section, and is
subject to criminal or civil penalties, or both, pursuant to the
Unfair Practices Act (Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 17000) of
Part 2 of Division 7) of the Business and Professions Code.
(b) Either of the following factual findings shall constitute
prima facie evidence that a violation of any state or federal
quarantine law or regulation pursuant to subdivision (a) is an
intentional violation:
(1) A violation of Section 6401 and possession of a shipment,
plant, or thing that is regulated by a state or federal quarantine
law or regulation and that has not been inspected and released by a
federal, state, or county quarantine official in either of the
following circumstances:
(A) The plant or thing is found concealed from view.
(B) The person in possession has been found repeatedly in
possession of those plants or things.
(2) A combination of findings showing that a person is in
possession of a shipment, plant, or thing that is regulated by a
state or federal quarantine law or regulation and that was
fraudulently or secretly brought into the state and the person in
possession is engaged in a business or other commercial activity
where a reasonable expectation exists that the person was aware of
the state or federal quarantine laws or regulations.
(c) Any person who negligently or intentionally violates any state
or federal law or regulation, including any quarantine regulation,
by importing any plant, or other article, that, by virtue of being
pest or disease infested, causes an infestation of a plant, pest, or
disease, or causes an existing infestation to spread beyond any
quarantine boundaries, is liable civilly in a sum not to exceed
twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) for each act that constitutes
a violation of the law or regulation.
(d) The Attorney General, upon request of the secretary, shall
petition the superior court to impose, assess, and recover the sum
imposed pursuant to subdivision (c). In determining the amount to be
imposed, the court shall take into consideration all relevant
circumstances, including, but not limited to, the extent of harm
caused by the violation and the nature and persistence of the
violation.
(e) The remedy under this section is in addition to, and does not
supersede or limit, any and all other remedies, civil or criminal,
that are otherwise available to the state.
(f) Any funds recovered pursuant to this section shall be
deposited in the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund for
emergency pest or disease exclusion, detection, eradication, or
research of agricultural plant or animal pests or diseases. These
funds may be allocated to cover costs related to the enforcement of
this division. These funds are in addition to any funds appropriated
for those purposes pursuant to Section 224.