(a) The department may take disciplinary action against any party responsible for directing, contributing to, participating in, or otherwise influencing the operations of a certified or registered facility or program. A responsible party includes, but is not limited to, the certificate holder, registrant, officer, director, or managing employee. Except as otherwise provided in this division, the department shall provide a notice and hearing in accordance with Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code before taking any disciplinary action against a certificate holder.

(b) All of the following are grounds for disciplinary action, in the form determined by the department in accordance with subdivision (c):

(1) The responsible party engaged in fraud or deceit to obtain a certificate or registration.

(2) The responsible party engaged in dishonesty, incompetence, negligence, or fraud in performing the functions and duties of a certificate holder or registrant.

(3) The responsible party violated this division or any regulation adopted pursuant to this division, including, but not limited to, any requirements concerning auditing, reporting, standards of operation, or being open for business.

(4) The responsible party is convicted of any crime of moral turpitude or fraud, any crime involving dishonesty, or any crime substantially related to the qualifications, functions, or duties of a certificate holder.

(c) The department may take disciplinary action pursuant to this section, by taking any one of, or any combination of, the following:

(1) Immediate revocation of the certificate or registration, or revocation of a certificate or registration as of a specific date in the future.

(2) Immediate suspension of the certificate or registration for a specified period of time, or suspension of the certificate or registration as of a specific date in the future. Notwithstanding subdivision (a), the department may impose a suspension of five days or less through an informal notice, if the action is subject to a stay on appeal, pending an informal hearing convened in accordance with Article 10 (commencing with Section 11445.10) of Chapter 4.5 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

(3) Imposition on the certificate or registration of any condition that the department determines would further the goals of this division.

(4) Issuance of a probationary certificate or registration with conditions determined by the department.

(5) Collection of amounts in restitution of any money improperly paid to the certificate holder or registrant from the fund.

(6) Imposition of civil penalties pursuant to Section 14591.1.

(7) Suspension for a specified period of time or permanent revocation of eligibility of a supermarket site, rural region recycler, or a nonprofit convenience zone recycler to receive handling fees at one or more of the certificate holder’s certified recycling centers.

(d) The department may do any of the following in taking disciplinary action pursuant to this section:

(1) If a certificate holder or registrant holds certificates or is registered to operate at more than one site or to operate in more than one capacity at one location, such as an entity certified as both a processor and a recycling center, the department may simultaneously revoke, suspend, or impose conditions upon some, or all, of the certificates held by the responsible party.

(2) If the responsible party is an officer, director, partner, manager, employee, or the owner of a controlling ownership interest of another certificate holder or registrant, that other operator’s certificate or registration may also be revoked, suspended, or conditioned by the department in the same proceeding, if the other certificate holder or registrant is given notice of that proceeding, or in a subsequent proceeding.

(3) (A) If, pursuant to notice and a hearing conducted by the director or the director’s designee in accordance with Article 10 (commencing with Section 11445.10) of Chapter 4.5 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, the department determines that the continued operation of a certified or registered entity poses an immediate and significant threat to the fund, the department may order the immediate suspension of the certificate holder or registrant, pending revocation of the certificate or registration, or the issuance of a probationary certificate imposing reasonable terms and conditions. The department shall record the testimony at the hearing and, upon request, prepare a transcript. For purposes of this section, an immediate and significant threat to the fund means any of the following:

(i) A loss to the fund of at least ten thousand dollars ($10,000) during the six-month period immediately preceding the order of suspension.

(ii) Missing or fraudulent records associated with a claim or claims totaling at least ten thousand dollars ($10,000) during the six-month period immediately preceding the order of suspension.

(iii) A pattern of deceit, fraud, or intentional misconduct in carrying out the duties and responsibilities of a certificate holder during the six-month period immediately preceding the order of suspension. For purposes of this section, a pattern of deceit, fraud, or intentional misconduct in carrying out the duties of a certificate holder includes, but is not limited to, the destruction or concealment of any records six months immediately preceding the order of suspension.

(iv) At least three claims submitted for ineligible material in violation of this division, including, but not limited to, a violation of Section 14595.5, during the six-month period immediately preceding the order of suspension.

(B) An order of suspension or probation may be issued to any or all certified or registered facilities or programs operated by a person or entity that the department determines to be culpable or responsible for the loss or conduct identified pursuant to subparagraph (A).

(C) The order of suspension or issuance of a probationary certificate imposing terms or conditions shall become effective upon written notice of the order to the certificate holder or registrant. Within 20 days after notice of the order of suspension, the department shall file an accusation seeking revocation of any or all certificates or registrations held by the certificate holder or registrant. The certificate holder or registrant may, upon receiving the notice of the order of suspension or probation, appeal the order by requesting a hearing in accordance with Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code. A request for a hearing or appeal from an order of the department does not stay the action of the department for which the notice of the order is given. The department may combine hearings to appeal an order of suspension and a hearing for the proposed revocation of a certificate or registration into one proceeding.

(D) This section does not prohibit the department from immediately revoking a probationary certificate pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 14541 or from taking other disciplinary action pursuant to Section 14591.2.

(Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 303, Sec. 431. (AB 731) Effective January 1, 2016.)