50-5-114. Administrative enforcement -- notice -- order for corrective action. (1) If the department believes that a violation of a provision of part 1 or 2 of this chapter or of a rule adopted or a condition or limitation imposed by a license issued pursuant to part 1 or 2 has occurred, it may serve written notice on the alleged violator or the violator's agent personally or by certified mail. The notice must specify the provision of part 1 or 2 of this chapter or the rule or license condition or limitation alleged to have been violated and the facts alleged to constitute the violation. The notice must inform the alleged violator of the right to a hearing and that the contested case provisions of the Montana Administrative Procedure Act, Title 2, chapter 4, part 6, apply to the hearing. The notice may include an order to take necessary corrective action, including ceasing new admissions, relocating residents, or ceasing the violation within a reasonable period of time stated in the order. The order becomes final unless, within 30 days after the notice is received, the person named requests in writing a hearing before the department. On receipt of the request, the department shall schedule a hearing. Until issuance of a contrary decision by the department, a department order concerning corrective action remains effective and enforceable.
(2) If, after a hearing held under subsection (1), the department finds that a violation has occurred, it shall issue an appropriate order for the prevention, abatement, or control of the violation involved or the taking of other corrective action. As appropriate, an order issued as part of a notice or after a hearing may prescribe the date by which the violation must cease and the time limits for particular action in preventing, abating, or controlling the violation. If, after a hearing on an order contained in a notice, the department finds that a violation has not occurred or is not occurring, it shall declare the order void.
(3) The contested case provisions of the Montana Administrative Procedure Act, Title 2, chapter 4, part 6, apply to a hearing conducted pursuant to this section.
(4) Instead of or in addition to issuing the order provided for in subsection (1), the department may:
(a) require that the alleged violators appear before the department for a hearing at a time and place specified in the notice and answer the charges; or
(b) initiate action under any other applicable provisions of part 1 or 2 of this chapter.
(5) Before acting under this section, the department shall attempt to obtain voluntary compliance through a warning, conference, or any other appropriate means.
(6) In connection with a hearing held pursuant to this section, the department may and on application by a party shall compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of evidence on behalf of any party.
History: En. Sec. 4, Ch. 415, L. 1993; amd. Sec. 252, Ch. 546, L. 1995.