(a) The department shall make appropriate investigations as follows:
(1) Determine whether there has been any violation of this chapter or any regulations adopted thereunder.
(2) Determine any facts, conditions, practices, or matters that it may deem necessary or proper to aid in the enforcement of this chapter or any regulation adopted thereunder.
(3) To aid in adopting regulations.
(4) To secure information as a basis for recommending legislation relating to this chapter.
(b) If, after any investigation, the department is satisfied that a license, permit, finding of suitability, or approval should be suspended or revoked, it shall file an accusation with the commission in accordance with Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
(c) In addition to any action that the commission may take against a license, permit, finding of suitability, or approval, the commission may also require the payment of fines or penalties. However, no fine imposed shall exceed twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) for each separate violation of any provision of this chapter or any regulation adopted thereunder.
(d) In any case in which the administrative law judge recommends that the commission revoke, suspend, or deny a license, the administrative law judge may, upon presentation of suitable proof, order the licensee or applicant for a license to pay the department the reasonable costs of the investigation and prosecution of the case.
(1) The costs assessed pursuant to this subdivision shall be fixed by the administrative law judge and may not be increased by the commission. When the commission does not adopt a proposed decision and remands the case to the administrative law judge, the administrative law judge may not increase the amount of any costs assessed in the proposed decision.
(2) The department may enforce the order for payment in the superior court in the county in which the administrative hearing was held. The right of enforcement shall be in addition to any other rights that the department may have as to any licensee directed to pay costs.
(3) In any judicial action for the recovery of costs, proof of the commission’s decision shall be conclusive proof of the validity of the order of payment and the terms for payment.
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, all costs recovered under this section shall be deposited in the fines and penalties account, a special account described in subdivision (a) of Section 19950.
(f) For purposes of this section, “costs” include costs incurred for any of the following:
(1) The investigation of the case by the department.
(2) The preparation and prosecution of the case by the Office of the Attorney General.
(Amended by Stats. 2007, Ch. 176, Sec. 38. Effective August 24, 2007.)