(a) The director may issue an order to grant an unrestricted or a restricted license to act as a registration service, or an order to deny, suspend, revoke, or cancel a license to act as a registration service.
(b) The order shall become final 30 days from issuance, unless the denied or restricted applicant or licensee files with the department a request for a hearing. Hearings shall be held pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
(c) Any registration service may be served with an accusation issued pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code by registered mail to the address of the principal place of business on file with the department, whether or not the business has been closed or terminated, unless the registration service has notified the department in writing of another address where service shall be made.
(d) The department may, pending a hearing, temporarily suspend the license issued to a registration service for not more than 30 days if the director finds that action is required in the public interest. In that case, a hearing shall be held and a decision issued within 30 days after notice of the temporary suspension or cancellation.
(e) The director may, following the filing of a statement of issues or an accusation against an applicant or a registration service, with the consent of the applicant or licensee, enter into a compromise settlement agreement with a stipulated restriction or penalty whereby the applicant or licensee accepts the terms and conditions of the agreement without hearing or appeal by any party thereto.
(1) The compromise settlement agreement may provide for a restricted license, special operating terms and conditions, a higher bond, a monetary penalty, or any other term or condition agreeable to the parties.
(2) The compromise settlement agreement shall be signed by the respondent applicant or licensee, the director, and the accuser, or their authorized representatives, and filed with the Office of Administrative Hearings, together with the department’s notice of withdrawal of the statement of issues or the accusation upon which the action was initiated.
(3) A failure of the respondent applicant or licensee to carry out a compromise settlement agreement entered into under this section is a separate cause to refuse to issue, or to suspend, revoke, or cancel, any license authorizing the respondent to act as a registration service.
(f) Any person whose license to act as a registration service was suspended for cause and the terms of the suspension are unfulfilled, or whose license was revoked for cause, may reapply for a license to act as a registration service after not less than one year from the effective date of the suspension or revocation action.
(g) The issuance of a new license to that person is within the sole discretion of the department, and a hearing regarding that issuance shall be held only upon the consent of the director.
(Added by Stats. 1990, Ch. 1196, Sec. 3. Operative July 1, 1991, by Sec. 4 of Ch. 1196.)