If, upon investigation, the director determines that a licensee, a qualified certificate holder, or a registrant is in violation of Section 7508.1, 7508.2, 7508.3, 7508.4, 7508.5, or 7508.6, the director may issue a citation to the licensee, qualified certificate holder, or registrant. The citation shall be in writing and shall describe with particularity the nature of the violation, including specific references to the provision of law determined to have been violated, and shall be delivered by certified mail to the licensee’s, qualified certificate holder’s, or registrant’s address of record. If the citation is issued to the qualified certificate holder or registrant, a copy of the citation shall also be sent by certified mail to the licensee’s address of record. If the director deems it appropriate, the citation may contain an order of abatement fixing a reasonable time for abatement of the violation and may contain assessment of an administrative fine not to exceed two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500).

A citation or fine assessment shall inform the licensee, qualified certificate holder, or registrant that if he or she desires a hearing to contest the finding of a violation, the hearing shall be requested by written notice to the director within 30 days of the issuance of the citation or assessment, as appropriate. Any request for reconsideration received in writing by the director within the 30 days shall stay the 30 days allowed to request a hearing while the director reconsiders the fine assessment. Upon decision, the director shall notify the licensee, qualified certificate holder, or registrant in writing whether the fine assessment has been withdrawn or the fine assessment has been reaffirmed. If the fine assessment has been reaffirmed, the director shall again inform the licensee, qualified certificate holder, or registrant in writing that he or she has 30 days to request a hearing. If a hearing is not requested pursuant to this section, payment of any fine shall not constitute an admission of the violation charged. Hearings shall be held pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

If the licensee, qualified certificate holder, or registrant neither requests a hearing nor pays the assessed fine within 30 days of the assessment, the license, qualification certificate, or registration of the person shall not be renewed pursuant to Section 7503.10 and no registration shall be issued pursuant to Article 7 (commencing with Section 7506) until the assessed fine is paid.

Administrative fines collected pursuant to this section shall be deposited in the Private Security Services Fund.

(Amended by Stats. 1996, Ch. 624, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 1997.)