Section 1548.

(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. In no event, shall a civil penalty assessment 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) 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.

(e) Any facility that is assessed a civil penalty pursuant to subdivision (d) which repeats the same violation of this chapter within 12 months of the violation subject to subdivision (d) is subject to an immediate civil penalty of one hundred fifty dollars ($150) for each day the violation continues until the deficiency is corrected.

(f) The department shall adopt regulations implementing this section.

(g) As provided in Section 11466.31 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, the department may offset civil penalties owed by a group home against moneys to be paid by a county for the care of minors after the group home has exhausted its appeal of the civil penalty assessment. The department shall provide the group home a reasonable opportunity to pay the civil penalty before instituting the offset provision.

(Amended by Stats. 2008, Ch. 291, Sec. 7. Effective September 25, 2008.)