(a) A city, a county, or the state may impose civil liability in the amount of five hundred dollars ($500) for the first violation of this chapter, one thousand dollars ($1,000) for the second violation, and two thousand dollars ($2,000) for the third and any subsequent violation.
(b) Any civil penalties collected pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be paid to the office of the city attorney, city prosecutor, district attorney, or Attorney General, whichever office brought the action. The penalties collected pursuant to this section by the Attorney General may be expended by the Attorney General, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to enforce this chapter.
(c) The remedies provided by this section are not exclusive and are in addition to the remedies that may be available pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 17200) of Part 2 of Division 7 of the Business and Professions Code.
(d) The costs incurred by a state agency in carrying out this chapter shall be recoverable by the Attorney General, upon the request of the agency, from the liable person or persons.
(Repealed (in Sec. 2) and added by Stats. 2011, Ch. 594, Sec. 1. (SB 567) Effective January 1, 2012. Section operative January 1, 2013, pursuant to Section 42358.5.)