1548
. (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 1534, 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 or 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 1533, 1534, or 1538.
(6) The presence of an excluded person on the premises.
(d) (1) For a violation that the department determines resulted in
the death of a resident at an adult residential facility, social
rehabilitation facility, enhanced behavioral supports home, or
community crisis home, the civil penalty shall be fifteen thousand
dollars ($15,000).
(2) For a violation that the department determines resulted in the
death of a person receiving care at an adult day program, the civil
penalty shall be assessed as follows:
(A) Seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500) for a licensee
licensed, among all of the licensee's facilities, to care for 50 or
less persons.
(B) Ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for a licensee licensed, among
all of the licensee's facilities, to care for more than 50 persons.
(3) For a violation that the department determines resulted in the
death of a person receiving care at a therapeutic day services
facility, foster family agency, community treatment facility,
full-service adoption agency, noncustodial adoption agency,
transitional shelter care facility, transitional housing placement
provider, group home, or short-term residential treatment center, the
civil penalty shall be assessed as follows:
(A) Seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500) for a licensee
licensed, among all of the licensee's facilities, to care for 40 or
less children.
(B) Ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for a licensee licensed, among
all of the licensee's facilities, to care for 41 to 100, inclusive,
children.
(C) Fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) for a licensee licensed,
among all of the licensee's facilities, to care for more than 100
children.
(4) For a violation that the department determines resulted in the
death of a resident at a runaway and homeless youth shelter, the
civil penalty shall be five thousand dollars ($5,000).
(e) (1) (A) 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 at an
adult residential facility, social rehabilitation facility, enhanced
behavioral supports home, or community crisis home, the civil penalty
shall be ten thousand dollars ($10,000).
(B) 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 person receiving care at an
adult day program, the civil penalty shall be assessed as follows:
(i) Two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) for a licensee
licensed, among all of the licensee's facilities, to care for 50 or
less persons.
(ii) Five thousand dollars ($5,000) for a licensee licensed, among
all of the licensee's facilities, to care for more than 50 persons.
(C) For a violation that the department determines constitutes
physical abuse, as defined in paragraph (2), or resulted in serious
bodily injury, as defined in Section 243 of the Penal Code, to a
person receiving care at a therapeutic day services facility, foster
family agency, community treatment facility, full-service adoption
agency, noncustodial adoption agency, transitional shelter care
facility, transitional housing placement provider, group home, or
short-term residential treatment center, the civil penalty shall be
assessed as follows:
(i) Two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) for a licensee
licensed, among all of the licensee's facilities, to care for 40 or
less children.
(ii) Five thousand dollars ($5,000) for a licensee licensed, among
all of the licensee's facilities, to care for 41 to 100, inclusive,
children.
(iii) Ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for a licensee licensed,
among all of the licensee's facilities, to care for more than 100
children.
(D) For a violation that the department determines constitutes
physical abuse, as defined in paragraph (2), or resulted in serious
bodily injury, as defined in Section 243 of the Penal Code, to a
resident at a runaway and homeless youth shelter, the civil penalty
shall be one thousand dollars ($1,000).
(2) For purposes of subparagraphs (C) and (D), "physical abuse"
includes physical injury inflicted upon a child by another person by
other than accidental means, sexual abuse as defined in Section
11165.1 of the Penal Code, neglect as defined in Section 11165.2 of
the Penal Code, or unlawful corporal punishment or injury as defined
in Section 11165.4 of the Penal Code when the person responsible for
the child's welfare is a licensee, administrator, or employee of any
facility licensed to care for children.
(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 1534, any 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 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) is
subject to an immediate civil penalty of one hundred fifty dollars
($150) for each day the violation continues until the deficiency is
corrected.
(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 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 2
of Chapter 813 of the Statutes of 2014.
(n) As provided in Section 11466.31 of the Welfare and
Institutions Code, the department may offset civil penalties owed by
a group home or short-term residential treatment center against
moneys to be paid by a county for the care of minors after the group
home or short-term residential treatment center has exhausted its
appeal of the civil penalty assessment. The department shall provide
the group home or short-term residential treatment center a
reasonable opportunity to pay the civil penalty before instituting
the offset provision.
(o) 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.
(p) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2015.