(a) The proceedings and hearings under this article 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, including the right of judicial review as provided for in Section 11523 of the Government Code.
(b) In addition to any other disciplinary action and in lieu of a separate action in civil court, the department, as part of a disciplinary hearing conducted by an administrative law judge, may impose a civil penalty as provided in Section 739.
(Amended by Stats. 1998, Ch. 475, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 1999.)