This section lets the commission and attorney general enforce the chapter, impose penalties, and suspend certificates in urgent cases.
Sec. 419.906. ADMINISTRATIVE AND CIVIL PENALTIES; INJUNCTION. (a) In addition to other penalties imposed by law, a person who violates this chapter or a rule adopted under this chapter is subject to an administrative penalty in an amount set by the commission not to exceed $1,000 for each violation. In addition to the administrative penalty, the person must pay costs incurred by the attorney general's office under this subsection. The administrative penalty shall be assessed in a proceeding conducted in accordance with Chapter 2001. (b) The attorney general or the commission may institute a suit for an injunction to enforce this chapter. Venue for the suit is in a district court in Travis County. The court may also award the commission a civil penalty not to exceed $1,000 for each violation of this chapter or a rule adopted under this chapter, plus court costs, reasonable attorney fees, and costs incurred by the commission or the attorney general's office under this subsection. (c) The commission may enter into a consent order or settlement agreement with any person under the commission's jurisdiction under this chapter or other law. The consent order or settlement agreement may include an agreement between the commission and the person under which the person will make restitution to a third party or pay a monetary penalty to the commission. The consent order or settlement agreement is valid and enforceable without regard to whether the commission is authorized to order restitution or impose the monetary penalty under other law in the absence of the affected person's agreement. (d) The commission may enter a default order if a fire department or training provider fails to take action to correct a violation found during an inspection conducted under this chapter or to request an informal settlement conference before the 61st day after the date the commission provides to the department or provider notice requiring the department or provider to correct the violation. (e) Notwithstanding Section 419.0365, the commission may temporarily suspend a person's or regulated entity's certificate on a determination by a panel of the commission that continued activity by the person or entity would present an immediate threat to the public or to fire service trainees. The panel may hold a meeting for purposes of this subsection by teleconference call pursuant to Section 551.125. A person or regulated entity whose certificate is temporarily suspended under this subsection is entitled to a hearing before the commission not later than the 14th day after the date of the temporary suspension. Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 628, Sec. 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1991. Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 912, Sec. 20, eff. Sept. 1, 1993; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 76, Sec. 5.95(50), eff. Sept. 1, 1995. Amended by: Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1216 (S.B. 1011), Sec. 23, eff. September 1, 2009.