(a) Except as otherwise provided by law, in any order issued in resolution of a disciplinary proceeding before the department, the commissioner may request the administrative law judge to direct a licensee found to have committed a violation of this part to pay a sum not to exceed the reasonable costs of the investigation and enforcement of the case.

(b) In the case of a disciplined licensee that is a corporation or a partnership, the order may be made against the licensed corporate entity or licensed partnership.

(c) A certified copy of the actual costs, or a good faith estimate of costs where actual costs are not available, signed by the commissioner or the commissioner’s designated representative, shall be prima facie evidence of reasonable costs of investigation and prosecution of the case. The costs shall include the amount of investigative and enforcement costs up to the date of the hearing, including, but not limited to, charges imposed by the Attorney General.

(d) The administrative law judge shall make a proposed finding of the amount of reasonable costs of investigation and prosecution of the case when requested pursuant to subdivision (a). The finding of the administrative law judge with regard to costs shall not be reviewable by the commissioner to increase the cost award. The commissioner may reduce or eliminate the cost award, or remand to the administrative law judge where the proposed decision fails to make a finding on costs requested pursuant to subdivision (a).

(e) Where an order for recovery of costs is made and timely payment is not made as directed in the commissioner’s decision, the commissioner may enforce the order for repayment in any appropriate court. This right of enforcement shall be in addition to any other rights the commissioner may have as to any licentiate to pay costs.

(f) In any action for recovery of costs, proof of the commissioner’s decision shall be conclusive proof of the validity of the order of payment and the terms for payment.

(g) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the department shall not renew or reinstate the license of any licensee who has failed to pay all of the costs ordered under this section.

(2) The department may, in its discretion, conditionally renew or reinstate for a maximum of one year the license of any licensee who demonstrates financial hardship and who enters into a formal agreement with the department to reimburse the department within that one-year period for the unpaid costs.

(h) All costs recovered under this section shall be considered a reimbursement for costs incurred and shall be deposited in the Real Estate Fund to be available, notwithstanding Section 10451, upon appropriation by the Legislature.

(i) Nothing in this section shall preclude the department from including the recovery of the costs of investigation and enforcement of a case in any stipulated settlement.

(Added by Stats. 2011, Ch. 712, Sec. 6. (SB 706) Effective January 1, 2012.)