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H.B. 228 Enrolled
This act modifies the Utah Construction Trades Licensing Act by amending the penalty
provisions for unlawful conduct.
This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
AMENDS:
58-55-503, as last amended by Chapters 100, 233 and 317, Laws of Utah 2000
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 58-55-503 is amended to read:
58-55-503. Penalty for unlawful conduct -- Citations.
(1) Any person who violates [
(7), (9), (10), (12), [
section after it is final, is guilty of a class A misdemeanor. Any person who violates the provisions
of Subsection 58-55-501 (8) may not be awarded and may not accept a contract for the performance
of the work.
(2) Any person who violates the provisions of Subsection 58-55-501 (13) is guilty of an
infraction unless the violator did so with the intent to deprive the person to whom money is to be
paid of the money received, in which case the violator is guilty of theft, as classified in Section
76-6-412 .
(3) Grounds for immediate suspension of the licensee's license by the division and the
board include the issuance of a citation for violation of Section 58-55-501 or the failure by a
licensee to make application to, report to, or notify the division with respect to any matter for
which application, notification, or reporting is required under this chapter or rules adopted under
this chapter, including applying to the division for a new license to engage in a new specialty
classification or to do business under a new form of organization or business structure, filing with
the division current financial statements, notifying the division concerning loss of insurance
coverage, or change in qualifier.
(4) (a) If upon inspection or investigation, the division concludes that a person has violated
the provisions of Subsections 58-55-501 (1), (2), (3), (9), (10), (12), (14), or any rule or order issued
with respect to these subsections, and that disciplinary action is appropriate, the director or his
designee from within the division for each alternative respectively, shall, promptly issue a citation
to the person according to this chapter and any pertinent rules, attempt to negotiate a stipulated
settlement, or notify the person to appear before an adjudicative proceeding conducted under Title
63, Chapter 46b, Administrative Procedures Act.
(i) Any person who is in violation of the provisions of Subsection 58-55-501 (1), (2), (3), (9),
(10), (12), or (14), as evidenced by an uncontested citation, a stipulated settlement, or by a finding
of violation in an adjudicative proceeding, may be assessed a fine pursuant to this Subsection (4) and
may, in addition to or in lieu of, be ordered to cease and desist from violating Subsection
58-55-501 (1), (2), (3), (9), (10), (12), or (14).
(ii) Except for a cease and desist order, the licensure sanctions cited in Section 58-55-401
may not be assessed through a citation.
(b) Each citation shall be in writing and describe with particularity the nature of the
violation, including a reference to the provision of the chapter, rule, or order alleged to have been
violated. The citation shall clearly state that the recipient must notify the division in writing within
20 calendar days of service of the citation if the recipient wishes to contest the citation at a hearing
conducted under Title 63, Chapter 46b, Administrative Procedures Act. The citation shall clearly
explain the consequences of failure to timely contest the citation or to make payment of any fines
assessed by the citation within the time specified in the citation.
(c) Each citation issued under this section, or a copy of each citation, may be served upon
any person upon whom a summons may be served in accordance with the Utah Rules of Civil
Procedure and may be made personally or upon his agent by a division investigator or by any person
specially designated by the director or by mail.
(d) If within 20 calendar days from the service of a citation, the person to whom the citation
was issued fails to request a hearing to contest the citation, the citation becomes the final order of
the division and is not subject to further agency review. The period to contest a citation may be
extended by the division for cause.
(e) The division may refuse to issue or renew, suspend, revoke, or place on probation the
license of a licensee who fails to comply with a citation after it becomes final.
(f) The failure of an applicant for licensure to comply with a citation after it becomes final
is a ground for denial of license.
(g) No citation may be issued under this section after the expiration of six months following
the occurrence of any violation.
(h) Fines shall be assessed by the director or his designee according to the following:
(i) for a first offense handled pursuant to Subsection (4)(a), a fine of up to $1,000;
(ii) for a second offense handled pursuant to Subsection (4)(a), a fine of up to $2,000; and
(iii) for any subsequent offense handled pursuant to Subsection (4)(a), a fine of up to $2,000
for each day of continued offense.
(i) (i) For purposes of issuing a final order under this section and assessing a fine under
Subsection (4)(i), an offense constitutes a second or subsequent offense if:
(A) the division previously issued a final order determining that a person committed a first
or second offense in violation of Subsection 58-55-501 (1), (2), (3), (9), (10), (12), or (14); or
(B) (I) the division initiated an action for a first or second offense;
(II) no final order has been issued by the division in the action initiated under Subsection (4)
(i)(i)(B)(I);
(III) the division determines during an investigation that occurred after the initiation of the
action under Subsection (4) (i)(i)(B)(I) that the person committed a second or subsequent violation
of the provisions of Subsection 58-55-501 (1), (2), (3), (9), (10), (12), or (14); and
(IV) after determining that the person committed a second or subsequent offense under
Subsection (4) (i)(i)(B)(III), the division issues a final order on the action initiated under Subsection
(4) (i)(i)(B)(I).
(ii) In issuing a final order for a second or subsequent offense under Subsection (4) (i)(i), the
division shall comply with the requirements of this section.
(5) Any penalty imposed by the director under Subsection (4) (h) shall be deposited into the
Commerce Service Fund. Any penalty which is not paid may be collected by the director by either
referring the matter to a collection agency or bringing an action in the district court of the county in
which the person against whom the penalty is imposed resides or in the county where the office of
the director is located. Any county attorney or the attorney general of the state is to provide legal
assistance and advice to the director in any action to collect the penalty. In any action brought to
enforce the provisions of this section, reasonable attorney's fees and costs shall be awarded.
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