21 NCAC 14P .0116          CIVIL PENALTY PROCEDURES

(a)  Citations. The Board, through its duly authorized representatives, shall issue a citation with respect to any violation for which a civil penalty may be assessed. Each citation shall be in writing and shall describe the nature of the violation, including a reference to the specific provision alleged to have been violated. The civil penalty, if any, shall attach at the time the citation is written. The citation shall include an order to correct any condition or violation which lends itself to corrections, as determined by the Board.

(b)  Correction of Violation. Any licensee who has been issued a warning citation must present written proof satisfactory to the Board, or its executive director, that the violation has been corrected. This provision applies only to a licensee's first violation in any one year period for a violation with a first offense warning penalty. Proof of correction shall be presented to the Board, through its executive director, within 30 days of the date the warning citation was issued. The Board may extend for a reasonable period, the time within which to correct the warning citation in case of a death or hospitalization. Notices of correction filed after the prescribed date shall not be acceptable and the civil penalty shall be paid.

(c)  Contested Case. Persons to whom a notice of violation or a citation is issued and a civil penalty assessed, may contest the civil penalty by filing written notice with the Board. The Board shall institute a contested case by sending a notice of hearing pursuant to G.S. 150B, Article 3A. The issuance of notice of hearing shall stay the civil penalty until the Board renders a final agency decision in the contested case.

(d)  Final Agency Decision. The Board, after the hearing has been concluded, may affirm, reduce, or dismiss the charges filed in the notice of hearing or any penalties assessed. In no event shall the civil penalty be increased.

(e)  Failure to File. If no written notice contesting the civil penalty is filed as set forth in Paragraph (c), the civil penalty becomes a final agency decision.

(f)  Any offender who has not committed a previously cited offense for which a civil penalty has been assessed for a three year period after the last penalty payment is complete shall have his record of the specific offense cleared. The next subsequent violation shall be treated as a first offense.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 88B-4; 88B-29;

Temporary Adoption Eff. January 1, 1999;

Eff. August 1, 2000;

Amended Eff. August 1, 2002;

Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, rule is necessary without substantive public interest Eff. January 13, 2015;

Amended Eff. April 1, 2023.