<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="12-135" title_number="12" title_name="Underground Facilities" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="Excavation or Demolition Near Underground Facilities">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A person that performs an excavation or demolition without first providing the notice required under § 12–124(a) of this subtitle is deemed negligent and is subject to a civil penalty assessed by the Authority.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Authority shall calculate the civil penalty considering:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the severity of the violation;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the intent and good faith of the violator; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>the past history of violations.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The civil penalty may not exceed:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>$2,000 for the first offense; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>$4,000 for each subsequent offense.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>A person that violates any other provision of Part IV of this subtitle is subject to a civil penalty assessed by the Authority not exceeding:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>$2,000 for the first offense; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>$4,000 for each subsequent offense.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>Instead of or in addition to assessing a civil penalty under this subsection, the Authority may:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>require that a person:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>participate in damage prevention training; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>implement procedures to mitigate the likelihood of damage to underground facilities; or</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>impose other similar measures.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <level label="i">
        <text>For purposes of paragraphs (3)(ii) and (4)(ii) of this subsection, the Authority may not consider an offense to be a subsequent offense if the offense occurred at least 3 years after the earlier offense unless:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>the earlier offense is unresolved, regardless of the age of the earlier offense; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>the person has not met the conditions of an assessed penalty within the time period prescribed.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>In the case of an unresolved earlier offense or a failure to meet the conditions under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph, the Authority may assess up to double the maximum civil penalty for each violation.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="7">
      <text>A person that fails to appear before the Authority without cause, after proper notification of a scheduled hearing, may be subject to a $200 fine in addition to any civil penalty assessed by the Authority.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="8">
      <text>A person that files an emergency ticket that does not meet the definition of emergency under § 12–101 of this subtitle may be subject to the maximum penalties available under this subsection.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>This subsection applies if a proceeding has not been initiated before the Authority.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A court of competent jurisdiction may assess a civil penalty of up to 10 times the cost of repairs to the underground facility caused by the damage, dislocation, or disturbance against a person that has committed a subsequent offense under subsection (a)(1) of this section.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>An action to recover a civil penalty under this subsection shall be brought by an owner of a damaged, dislocated, or disturbed underground facility or the Attorney General in a court of competent jurisdiction in Baltimore City or the county in which the damage, dislocation, or disturbance occurred.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>The party bringing an action under this subsection may recover reasonable attorney’s fees.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>The Authority may not assess a civil penalty under subsection (a)(3)(ii) of this section if an action to recover a civil penalty has been brought under subsection (b) of this section.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>All civil penalties recovered under this section shall be paid into the Fund.</text>
  </level>
</section>
