(a) Whenever the director is satisfied, either by investigation or after a hearing, that a handler is unable to pay for any manufacturing milk purchased from any producer, and is further satisfied that to permit the handler to continue to purchase and receive any manufacturing milk from producers would be likely to cause serious and irreparable loss to producer-creditors and other producers, the director may thereupon and forthwith shorten the time for hearing that is provided for in Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, and thereupon may issue an order to show cause why the license of the handler should not be forthwith suspended or revoked. The time of notice of the hearing shall not, however, be less than five days. At the hearing the handler that is proceeded against shall be ordered to show cause why the license should not be suspended or revoked, or continued under conditions and provisions, if any, that the director may consider just and proper and for the protection of the best interests of the producer-creditors and producers from whom the handler has been and is receiving any manufacturing milk. Following the hearing, the decision of the director shall become effective at the director’s discretion.
(b) The hearing, in the case of an emergency, may be called upon written notice which is served personally or by mail on the handler that is involved. If the notice is sent by mail, the hearing date shall be no sooner than 10 days after the notice is sent. It may be held at the nearest office of the director or at any place that may be most convenient in the discretion of the director for the attendance of all of the parties that are involved.
(Added by Stats. 1983, Ch. 857, Sec. 6.)