Section 108900 Of Article 3. Enforcement From California Health And Safety Code >> Division 104. >> Part 3. >> Chapter 9. >> Article 3.
108900
. (a) The department may impose a civil penalty payable to
the department upon any person who violates this chapter or any
regulation adopted pursuant to this chapter in the amount of not more
than five thousand dollars ($5,000) per day. Each day a violation
continues shall be considered a separate violation.
(b) If, after examination of a possible violation and the facts
surrounding that possible violation, the department concludes that a
violation has occurred, the department may issue a complaint to the
person charged with the violation. The complaint shall allege the
acts or failures to act that constitute the basis for the violation
and the amount of the penalty. The complaint shall be served by
personal service or by certified mail and shall inform the person so
served of the right to a hearing.
(c) Any person served with a complaint pursuant to subdivision (c)
may, within 20 days after service of the complaint, request a
hearing by filing with the department a notice of defense. A notice
of defense is deemed to have been filed within the 20-day period if
it is postmarked within the 20-day period. If a hearing is requested
by the person, it shall be conducted within 90 days after the receipt
by the department of the notice of defense. If no notice of defense
is filed within 20 days after service of the complaint, the
department shall issue an order setting the penalty as proposed in
the complaint unless the department and the person have entered into
a settlement agreement, in that case the department shall issue an
order setting the penalty in the amount specified in the settlement
agreement. When the person has not filed a notice of defense or where
the department and the person have entered into a settlement
agreement, the order shall not be subject to review by any court or
agency.
(d) Any hearing required under this section shall be conducted
pursuant to Section 100171, except to the extent that the procedures
specified in Section 100171 are inconsistent with this section.
(e) Orders setting civil penalties under this section shall become
effective and final upon issuance thereof, and payment shall be made
within 30 days of issuance. A copy of the order shall be served by
personal service or by certified mail upon the person served with the
complaint.
(f) Within 30 days after service of a copy of a decision issued by
the director after a hearing, any person so served may file with the
superior court a petition for writ of mandate for review of the
decision. Any person who fails to file the petition within this
30-day period may not challenge the reasonableness or validity of the
decision or order of the director in any judicial proceeding brought
to enforce the decision or order or for other remedies. Section
1094.5 of the Code of Civil Procedure shall govern any proceedings
conducted pursuant to this subdivision. In all proceedings pursuant
to this subdivision, the court shall uphold the decision of the
director if the decision is based upon substantial evidence in the
whole record. The filing of a petition for writ of mandate shall not
stay any corrective action required pursuant to this chapter or the
accrual of any penalties assessed pursuant to this section. This
subdivision does not prohibit the court from granting any appropriate
relief within its jurisdiction.
(g) The remedies under this section are in addition to, and do not
supersede or limit, any and all other remedies, civil or criminal.
(h) If the violation is committed after a previous imposition of a
penalty under this section that has become final, if the violation
is committed with intent to mislead or defraud, or if the violation
concerns tableware primarily used by children or marketed for
children, the person shall be subject to imprisonment for not more
than one year in the county jail or imprisonment in state prison, by
a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by both
the imprisonment and fine.