§ 143-658. Violations.
§ 143‑658. Violations.
(a) Civil Penalties. The Secretary of Crime Control and PublicSafety may issue an order against a licensee or other person who willfullyviolates any provision of this Article, imposing a civil penalty of up to fivethousand dollars ($5,000) for a single violation or of up to twenty‑fivethousand dollars ($25,000) for multiple violations in a single proceeding or aseries of related proceedings. No order under this subsection may be enteredwithout giving the licensee or other person 15 days' prior notice and anopportunity for a contested case hearing conducted pursuant to Article 3 ofChapter 150B of the General Statutes.
The clear proceeds of civil penalties imposed pursuant to thissubsection shall be remitted to the Civil Penalty and Forfeiture Fund inaccordance with G.S. 115C‑457.2.
(b) Criminal Penalties. A willful violation of any provisionof this Article shall constitute a Class 2 misdemeanor. The Secretary of CrimeControl and Public Safety may refer any available evidence concerningviolations of this Article to the proper district attorney, who may, with orwithout such a reference, institute the appropriate criminal proceedings.
(c) Injunction. Whenever it appears to the Secretary of CrimeControl and Public Safety that a person has engaged or is about to engage in anact or practice constituting a violation of any provision of this Article orany rule or order hereunder, the Secretary of Crime Control and Public Safetymay bring an action in any court of competent jurisdiction to enjoin those actsor practices and to enforce compliance with this Article or any rule or orderissued pursuant to this Article.
(d) Repealed by Session Laws 1998‑212, s. 19.11(e). (1995, c. 499, s. 1; 1997‑504, s. 8; 1998‑23,s. 18; 1998‑212, s. 19.11(e), (g); 1998‑215, s. 125.)