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<chapter num="12" heading="Imposition of Fines" title_num="10" subtitle_num="25">
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".01" heading="Assessment of Fines.">
    <paragraph num="A.">
      <text>Except as provided in §B of this regulation and unless the Executive Director or the Executive Director's designee has granted an extension of time, a party that fails to timely file a report or other information required by the Commission may be liable for a monetary penalty, not to exceed $1,000 per day, for each day the filing of the report is past due.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="B.">
      <text>For information required by the Commission pursuant to Health-General Article, §19-116(b), Annotated Code of Maryland, and unless the Executive Director or the Executive Director's designee has granted an extension of time, a party that fails to timely file a report or other information required by the Commission may be liable for a monetary penalty, not to exceed $100 per day, for each day the filing of the report is past due.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="C.">
      <text>A data report that is substantially incomplete or inaccurate is not timely filed.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="D.">
      <text>The filing of a written petition for review of a denial of an extension of time stays the accrual of the monetary penalty levied under §§A and B of this regulation.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".02" heading="Process for Levying and Appealing an Assessment.">
    <paragraph num="A.">
      <text>The Executive Director shall determine the amount assessed pursuant to this chapter by considering the factors set forth in Regulation .03.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="B.">
      <text>The Executive Director shall issue a notice of assessment to a party found to have filed untimely or inaccurate information, explaining the basis for the assessment.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="C.">
      <text>A party assessed a fine has 10 business days from the date of receipt of the assessment to appeal the assessment to the Commission.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="D.">
      <text>Upon receipt of an appeal, the Chairman of the Commission may:</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>Schedule a date for hearing the appeal before the full Commission; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>Appoint a commissioner to act as a hearing officer.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="E.">
      <text>Commission staff may participate in the hearing.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="F.">
      <text>If the Chairman appoints a commissioner as a hearing officer, the hearing officer shall issue a proposed decision containing proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="G.">
      <text>Parties may file exceptions to the hearing officer's proposed decision with the full Commission.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="H.">
      <text>Exceptions shall identify specific aspects of the proposed decision with which the excepting party disagrees and explain the basis of the disagreement with specific citation to the record or applicable law.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="I.">
      <text>The full Commission shall entertain oral argument on exceptions and issue a final decision.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="J.">
      <text>All hearings shall be conducted in accordance with the procedural requirements of State Government Article, Title 10, Subtitle 2, Annotated Code of Maryland.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".03" heading="Factors Considered in the Assessment of Penalties.">
    <paragraph num="A.">
      <text>The Commission shall consider the following factors in determining whether to impose a fine and the amount of any fine:</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>The willfulness of the improper conduct;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>The extent of actual or potential public harm caused by the violation;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(3)">
        <text>The cost of auditing or investigating the matter; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(4)">
        <text>The party's history of any previous violation.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="B.">
      <text>The Commission may suspend or waive any fine for reporting of inaccurate data if the party that filed the inaccurate data reports and corrects the inaccuracies in a timely manner.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </regulation>
  <annotations>
    <annotation type="Authority">Health-General Article, §§19-109(a)(1) and (7)and 19-116(b)(1) and (2), Annotated Code of Maryland</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Effective date: December 23, 2002 (29:25 Md. R. 1984)</annotation>
  </annotations>
</chapter>