<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="ghu" article_name="Human Services" number="10-497" title_number="10" title_name="Department of Aging" subtitle_number="4" subtitle_name="Continuing Care">
  <level label="a">
    <text>The Secretary may impose a civil money penalty against a provider for an action or inaction that violates this subtitle or any regulation adopted by the Department under this subtitle.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Before imposing a civil money penalty under subsection (a) of this section, the Department shall issue a notice of violation to the provider.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The notice shall state:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>when the provider must submit a plan of correction that is acceptable to the Department;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>when each identified violation must be substantially corrected, which may not be less than 30 days; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>that failure to submit an acceptable plan of correction as required under item (i) of this paragraph or to correct an identified violation may result in an order imposing a civil money penalty under subsection (d) of this section.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>If at the expiration of the time set forth in the notice required under subsection (b) of this section the Department determines a violation has not been corrected, the Secretary may:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>extend the time in which the violation must be corrected; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>impose a civil money penalty under subsection (d) of this section.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Secretary may impose a civil money penalty not exceeding $5,000 for each violation.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>In setting the amount of a civil money penalty under this section, the Secretary shall consider the following factors:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the number, nature, and seriousness of the violations;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the degree of risk to the health, life, or physical or financial safety of the subscribers caused by the violations;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>the efforts made by the provider to correct the violations;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>whether the amount of the proposed civil money penalty will jeopardize the financial ability of the provider to continue operating; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>other factors as justice may require.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>If a civil money penalty is imposed under this section, the Department shall issue an order stating:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the basis on which the order is made;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>each regulation or statute violated;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>each civil money penalty imposed and the total amount of the civil money penalty imposed; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>the manner in which the amount of the civil money penalty was calculated.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <level label="i">
        <text>The Department shall provide written notice to a provider of the imposition of a civil money penalty.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The notice shall be served on the provider by certified mail and shall include the order and a statement on how to file an administrative appeal.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>If a civil money penalty is imposed under this section, the provider has the right to appeal from the order in accordance with Title 10, Subtitle 2 of the State Government Article.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A provider shall pay a civil money penalty to the Department within 10 days after the provider receives a final order imposing the civil money penalty.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>An order imposing a civil money penalty is final when the provider has exhausted all opportunities to contest the civil penalty in accordance with Title 10, Subtitle 2 of the State Government Article.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>If a provider does not comply with this section, the Department may file a civil action to recover the penalty.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>The Department shall deposit all civil money penalties collected under this section into the General Fund.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
