Section 12903.1 Of Chapter 1. Appointment, Qualification, And Offices From California Insurance Code >> Division 3. >> Chapter 1.
12903.1
. (a) The commissioner may not accept, use, or in any manner
benefit from payments or reimbursements made to the department for
travel from any of the following:
(1) A single source that is subject to regulation by the
commissioner.
(2) A private attorney or law firm that is under contract or is
bidding on or under consideration for a contract to represent either
the department or the commissioner in his or her official capacity.
(3) A private attorney or law firm that seeks to be awarded, or
has been awarded, advocacy fees under subdivision (b) of Section
1861.10.
(4) A private attorney or law firm that has a client subject to
regulation by the commissioner.
(b) For purposes of this section, any payment or reimbursement
provided by a representative of a person or entity subject to
regulation by the commissioner shall be deemed to be provided by the
regulated person or entity.
(c) (1) The Attorney General or any other person within this state
may bring a civil action for the violation of this section. The
court may assess a civil penalty in the amount of three times the
amount of the unlawful benefit or payment received by the
commissioner.
(2) An action under this subdivision shall be filed within five
years of the date on which the violation occurred. If the
commissioner engages in fraudulent concealment, the five-year period
shall be tolled for the period of the concealment. For the purposes
of this paragraph, "fraudulent concealment" means the commissioner
knowingly concealed facts related to his or her travel expenditures
or reimbursements.