(a) The director may issue a complaint and proposed order to any person on whom an administrative penalty may be imposed pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 4601.1. The complaint and order shall allege the act or failure to act that constitutes a violation, include a citation to the provisions authorizing the civil penalty to be imposed, and include the proposed civil penalty.
(b) In determining the amount of any administrative civil penalty, the department shall consider all relevant circumstances, including, but not limited to, the extent of harm caused by the violation, the nature, persistence, circumstances, extent and gravity of the violation, the length of time over which the violation occurred, whether any substantial damage caused by the violation is susceptible to corrective action, whether the violation was willful or caused by negligence, and, with respect to the violator, the ability of the violator to pay any fines or penalties, the effect on ability to continue in business, the corrective action, if any, taken by the violator, whether the violator has any prior history of violations, the degree of culpability, economic savings, if any, resulting from the violation, and such other matters as justice may require.
(c) The complaint shall be served by personal notice or certified mail, and shall inform the party so served that, upon the request of the party made within 10 days of such service, a hearing shall be conducted before the board or an administrative law judge within 180 days from the date that the party is served. The chairperson of the board may delegate the conduct of the hearing to a committee of the board, which shall be composed of at least three members of the board, or elect to utilize an administrative law judge assigned in accordance with Section 11370.3 of the Government Code. If the chairperson delegates the matter to a committee of the board, a majority of the committee members shall not have a financial interest in the forest products or range industry. The committee may exercise any power the board may exercise.
(d) The party charged with a violation may waive a right to a hearing, in which case the board shall not conduct a hearing, and the order of the director shall become final.
(e) After a hearing, the board or an administrative law judge may adopt, with or without revision, the proposed order of the director.
(f) An order setting an administrative civil penalty shall become effective and final upon its adoption pursuant to subdivision (e), and any payment shall be made within the time period provided by subdivision (b) of Section 4601.3. Copies of the order shall be served by personal service or by registered mail upon the party served with the complaint and upon other persons who appeared at the hearing and requested a copy.
(Added by Stats. 1999, Ch. 582, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 2000.)