(a)
In addition to the suspension, temporary suspension, or revocation of a license issued under this chapter, the department may levy a civil penalty.
(b)
The amount of the civil penalty shall not be less than twenty-five dollars ($25) or more than fifty dollars ($50) per day for each violation of this chapter except where the nature or seriousness of the violation or the frequency of the violation warrants a higher penalty or an immediate civil penalty assessment, or both, as determined by the department. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, a
civil penalty assessment
shall not exceed one hundred fifty dollars ($150) per day per violation.
(c)
Notwithstanding Section 1534, the department shall assess an immediate civil penalty of one hundred fifty dollars ($150) per day per violation for any of the following serious violations:
(1)
(A)Fire clearance violations, including, but not limited to, overcapacity, ambulatory status, inoperable smoke alarms, and inoperable fire alarm systems. The civil penalty shall not be assessed if the licensee has done either of the following:
(i)
Requested the appropriate fire clearance based on ambulatory, nonambulatory, or bedridden status, and the decision is pending.
(ii)
Initiated eviction proceedings.
(B)
A licensee denied a clearance for bedridden residents may appeal to the fire authority, and, if that appeal is denied, may subsequently appeal to the Office of the State Fire Marshal, and shall not be assessed an immediate civil penalty until the final appeal is decided, or after 60 days has passed from the date of the citation, whichever is earlier.
(2)
Absence of supervision, as required by statute or regulation.
(3)
Accessible bodies of water when prohibited in this chapter or regulations adopted pursuant to this chapter.
(4)
Accessible firearms, ammunition, or both.
(5)
Refused entry to a facility or any part of a facility in violation of Section 1533, 1534, or 1538.
(6)
The presence of an excluded person on the premises.
(d)
(1)For a violation that the department determines resulted in the death of a resident at an adult residential facility, social rehabilitation facility, enhanced behavioral supports home, or community crisis home, the civil penalty shall be fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000).
(2)
For a violation that the department determines resulted in the death of a person receiving care at an adult day program, the civil penalty shall be assessed as follows:
(A)
Seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500) for a licensee licensed, among all of the licensee’s facilities, to care for 50 or less persons.
(B)
Ten thousand
dollars ($10,000) for a licensee licensed, among all of the licensee’s facilities, to care for more than 50 persons.
(3)
For a violation that the department determines resulted in the death of a person receiving care at a therapeutic day services facility, foster family agency, community treatment facility, full-service adoption agency, noncustodial adoption agency, transitional shelter care facility, transitional housing placement provider,
group home, or short-term residential treatment center, the civil penalty shall be assessed as follows:
(A)
Seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500) for a licensee licensed, among all of the licensee’s facilities, to care for 40 or less children.
(B)
Ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for a licensee licensed, among all of the licensee’s facilities, to care for 41 to 100, inclusive, children.
(C)
Fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) for a licensee licensed, among all of the licensee’s facilities, to care for more than 100 children.
(4)
For a violation that the department determines resulted in the death of a resident at a runaway
and homeless youth shelter, the civil penalty shall be five thousand dollars ($5,000).
(e)
(1)(A)For a violation that the department determines constitutes physical abuse, as defined in Section 15610.63 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, or resulted in serious bodily injury, as defined in Section 243 of the Penal Code, to a resident at an adult residential facility, social rehabilitation facility, enhanced behavioral supports home, or community crisis home, the civil penalty shall be ten thousand dollars ($10,000).
(B)
For a violation that the department determines constitutes physical abuse, as defined in Section 15610.63 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, or resulted in serious bodily injury, as defined in Section 243 of the Penal Code, to a person receiving care at an adult day program, the civil penalty shall be assessed as
follows:
(i)
Two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) for a licensee licensed, among all of the licensee’s facilities, to care for 50 or less persons.
(ii)
Five thousand dollars ($5,000) for a licensee licensed, among all of the licensee’s facilities, to care for more than 50 persons.
(C)
For a violation that the department determines constitutes physical abuse, as defined in paragraph (2), or resulted in serious bodily injury, as defined in Section 243 of the Penal Code, to a person receiving care at a therapeutic day services facility, foster family agency, community treatment facility, full-service adoption agency, noncustodial adoption agency, transitional shelter care facility, transitional housing placement provider, group
home, or short-term residential treatment center, the civil penalty shall be assessed as follows:
(i)
Two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) for a licensee licensed, among all of the licensee’s facilities, to care for 40 or less children.
(ii)
Five thousand dollars ($5,000) for a licensee licensed, among all of the licensee’s facilities, to care for 41 to 100, inclusive, children.
(iii)Ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for a licensee licensed, among all of the licensee’s facilities, to care for more than 100 children.
(D)
For a violation that the department determines constitutes physical abuse, as defined in paragraph (2), or resulted in
serious bodily injury, as defined in Section 243 of the Penal Code, to a resident at a runaway and homeless youth shelter, the civil penalty shall be one thousand dollars ($1,000).
(2)
For purposes of subparagraphs (C) and (D), “physical abuse” includes physical injury inflicted upon a child by another person by other than accidental means, sexual abuse as defined in Section 11165.1 of the Penal Code, neglect as defined in Section 11165.2 of the Penal Code, or unlawful corporal punishment or injury as defined in Section 11165.4 of the Penal Code when the person responsible for the child’s welfare is a licensee, administrator, or employee of any facility licensed to care for children.
(f)
Prior to the issuance of a citation imposing a civil penalty pursuant to subdivision (d) or (e), the decision shall be approved by the
program administrator of the Community Care Licensing Division.
(g)
Notwithstanding Section 1534, any facility that is cited for repeating the same violation of this chapter within 12 months of the first violation is subject to an immediate civil penalty of one hundred fifty dollars ($150) and fifty dollars ($50) for each day the violation continues until the deficiency is corrected.
(h)
Any facility that is assessed a civil penalty pursuant to subdivision (g) that repeats the same violation of this chapter within 12 months of the violation subject to subdivision (g) is subject to an immediate civil penalty of one hundred fifty dollars ($150) for each day the violation continues until the deficiency is corrected.
(i)
(1)The department shall adopt
regulations setting forth the appeal procedures for deficiencies.
(2)
A notification of a deficiency written by a representative of the department shall include a factual description of the nature of the deficiency fully stating the manner in which the licensee failed to comply with the specified statute or regulation, and, if applicable, the particular place or area of the facility in which the deficiency occurred.
(j)
(1)A licensee shall have the right to submit to the department a written request for a formal review of a civil penalty assessed pursuant to subdivisions (d) and (e) within
15 business days of receipt of the notice of a civil penalty assessment and shall provide all available supporting documentation at that time. The review shall be conducted by the deputy director of the Community Care Licensing Division.
The licensee may submit additional supporting documentation that was unavailable at the time of submitting the request for review within the first 30 business days after submitting the request for review. If the department requires additional information from the licensee, that information shall be requested within the first 30 business days after receiving the request for review. The licensee shall provide this additional information within 30 business days of receiving the request from the department. If the deputy director determines that the civil penalty was not assessed, or the finding of deficiency was not made, in accordance with applicable statutes or regulations of the
department, he or she may amend or dismiss the civil
penalty or finding of deficiency. The licensee shall be notified in writing of the deputy director’s
decision within 60 business days of the date when all necessary information has been provided to the department by the licensee.
(2)
Upon exhausting the review described in paragraph (1), a licensee may further appeal that decision to an administrative law judge. Proceedings 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, and the department shall have all the powers granted by those provisions. In all proceedings conducted in accordance with this section, the standard of proof shall be by a preponderance of the evidence.
(3)
If, in addition to an assessment of civil penalties, the department elects to file an administrative action to suspend or revoke the facility license that includes violations relating to the assessment of the civil penalties, the department review of the pending appeal shall cease and the assessment of the civil penalties shall be heard as part of the administrative action process.
(k)
(1)A licensee shall have the right to submit to the department a written request for a formal review of any other civil penalty or deficiency not described in subdivision (j) within 15 business days of receipt of the notice of a civil penalty assessment or a finding of a deficiency, and shall provide all available supporting documentation at that time. The review shall be conducted by a regional manager of the Community Care Licensing Division. The licensee may submit additional supporting documentation that was unavailable at the time of submitting the request for review within the first 30 business days after submitting the request for review. If the department requires additional information from the licensee, that information shall be requested within the first 30 business days after receiving the request for review. The licensee shall provide this additional information within 30 business days of receiving the
request from the department. If the regional manager determines that the civil penalty was not assessed, or the finding of the deficiency was not made, in accordance with applicable statutes or regulations of the department, he or she may amend or dismiss the civil penalty or finding of deficiency. The licensee shall be notified in writing of the regional manager’s decision within 60 business days of the date when all necessary information has been provided to the department by the licensee.
(2)
Upon exhausting the review described in paragraph (1), the licensee may further appeal that decision to the program administrator of the Community Care Licensing Division within 15 business days of receipt of notice of the regional manager’s decision. The licensee may submit additional supporting documentation that was unavailable at the time of
appeal to the program administrator within the first 30 business days after requesting that appeal. If the department requires additional information from the licensee, that information shall be requested within the first 30 business days after receiving the request for the appeal. The licensee shall provide this additional information within 30 business days of receiving the request from the department. If the program administrator determines that the civil penalty was not assessed, or the finding of the deficiency was not made, in accordance with applicable statutes or regulations of the department, he or she may amend or dismiss the civil penalty or finding of deficiency. The licensee shall be notified in writing of the program administrator’s decision within 60 business days of the date when all necessary information has been provided to the department by the licensee. The program administrator’s decision is considered final and concludes the licensee’s administrative appeal rights regarding the appeal
conducted pursuant to this paragraph.
(l)
The department shall adopt regulations implementing this section.
(m)
The department shall, by January 1, 2016, amend its regulations to reflect the changes to this section made by
Section 2 of Chapter 813 of the Statutes of 2014.
(n)
As provided in Section 11466.31 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, the department may offset civil penalties owed by a group home or short-term residential treatment center against moneys to be paid by a county for the care of minors after the group home or short-term residential treatment center has exhausted its appeal of the civil penalty assessment. The
department shall provide the group home
or short-term residential treatment center a reasonable opportunity to pay the civil penalty before instituting the offset provision.
(o)
Notwithstanding the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), the department may implement and administer the changes made by the act that added this subdivision through all-county letters or similar written instructions until regulations are adopted pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act.
(p)
This section shall become operative on July 1, 2015.