(a) The director may, after appropriate notice and opportunity for hearing, by order, censure a person acting as a solicitor or solicitor firm, or suspend for a period not exceeding 24 months or bar a person from operating as a solicitor or solicitor firm, or assess administrative penalties against a person acting as a solicitor or solicitor firm if the director determines that the person has committed any of the acts or omissions constituting grounds for disciplinary action.

(b) The following acts or omissions constitute grounds for disciplinary action by the director:

(1) The continued operation of the solicitor or solicitor firm in a manner that may constitute a substantial risk to a plan or subscribers and enrollees.

(2) The solicitor or solicitor firm has violated or attempted to violate, or conspired to violate, directly or indirectly, or assisted in or abetted a violation or conspiracy to violate any provision of this chapter, any rule or regulation adopted by the director pursuant to the chapter, or any order issued by the director pursuant to this chapter.

(3) The solicitor or solicitor firm has engaged in any conduct that constitutes fraud or dishonest dealing or unfair competition, as defined by Section 17200 of the Business and Professions Code.

(4) The engagement of a person as an officer, director, employee, or associate of the solicitor firm contrary to the provisions of an order issued by the director pursuant to subdivision (d) of this section or subdivision (c) of Section 1386.

(5) The solicitor or solicitor firm, or its management company, or any other affiliate of the solicitor firm, or any controlling person, officer, director, or other person occupying a principal management or supervisory position in that solicitor firm, management company, or affiliate, has been convicted or pleaded nolo contendere to a crime, or committed any act involving dishonesty, fraud, or deceit, which crime or act is substantially related to the qualifications, functions, or duties of a person engaged in business in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. The director may issue an order hereunder irrespective of a subsequent order under the provisions of Section 1203.4 of the Penal Code.

(c) The director shall notify plans of any order issued pursuant to subdivision (a) which suspends or bars a person from engaging in operations as a solicitor or solicitor firm. It shall be unlawful for any plan, after receipt of notice of the order, to receive any new subscribers or enrollees through that person or to otherwise utilize any solicitation services of that person in violation thereof.

(d) (1) The director may prohibit any person from serving as an officer, director, employee, or associate of any plan or solicitor firm, or as a solicitor, if that person was an officer, director, employee, or associate of a solicitor firm that has been the subject of an order of suspension or bar from engaging in operations as a solicitor firm pursuant to this section and that person had knowledge of, or participated in, any of the prohibited acts for which the order was issued.

(2) A proceeding for the issuance of an order under this subdivision may be included with a proceeding against a solicitor firm under this section or may constitute a separate proceeding, subject in either case to subdivision (e).

(e) A proceeding for the issuance of an order under this section shall be subject to appropriate notice to, and the opportunity for a hearing with regard to, the person affected in accordance with subdivision (a) of Section 1397.

(Amended by Stats. 1999, Ch. 525, Sec. 134. Effective January 1, 2000. Operative July 1, 2000, or sooner, by Sec. 214 of Ch. 525.)