§ 31-5-14 - Penalties for violations by dealers.
SECTION 31-5-14
§ 31-5-14 Penalties for violations bydealers. – (a) Upon the complaint of the department, any person violating any of theprovisions of §§ 31-5-1 – 31-5-20, shall, upon conviction forthe first offense, be punished by a fine of not less than fifty dollars($50.00) nor more than one hundred dollars ($100), or by imprisonment for notless than ten (10) days nor more than thirty (30) days, or by both a fine andimprisonment. For a second or subsequent conviction, that person shall be finednot less than one hundred dollars ($100) nor more than one thousand dollars($1,000), or by imprisonment for not less than thirty (30) days nor more thansix (6) months, or by both a fine and imprisonment.
(b) If the department shall have reason to believe that anyperson, firm, corporation, or association is violating the provisions of thischapter, the department may issue its order to the person, firm, corporation,or association commanding them to appear before the department, at a hearing tobe held not sooner than ten (10) days nor later than twenty (20) days afterissuance of the order, to show cause why the department should not issue anorder to the person to cease and desist from violating the provisions of thischapter. The order to show cause may be served on any person, firm,corporation, or association named in it by any person in the same manner that asummons in a civil action may be served, or by mailing a copy of the order tothe person at any address at which he or she has done business or at which heor she lives. If at the hearing the department shall be satisfied that theperson is in fact violating any provision of this chapter, then the departmentshall order the person in writing to cease and desist from the violation. Allthese hearings shall be conducted in accordance with chapter 35 of title 42. Ifthe person shall subsequently fail to comply with the order of the department,the superior court for Providence County shall have jurisdiction upon thecomplaint of the department to restrain and enjoin the person from violatingthis chapter.
(c) In addition to the fines described in subsection (a) ofthis section, the department may impose fines on holders of any license issuedby the department pursuant to this chapter of not less than fifty dollars($50.00) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), for violations of any ofthe provisions of §§ 31-5-1 – 31-5-20 and §§ 31-5-33– 31-5-39, or for violation of any rules or regulations promulgatedpursuant to § 31-5-2.