§ 63-1-1916.1. Violations - Penalties - Criteria for determination of amount of penalty - Appeal - Surrender of license.

A.  Any person who has been determined by the State Department of Health to have violated any provision of the Nursing Home Care Act or any rule promulgated or order issued pursuant to the provisions of the Nursing Home Care Act, may be liable for an administrative penalty for each day that said violation or violations continue to exist.  Penalties of not less than Fifty Dollars ($50.00) per day or more than Three Thousand Dollars ($3,000.00) per day may be imposed for deficiencies that do not constitute immediate jeopardy to residents.  Penalties of not less than Three Thousand Fifty Dollars ($3,050.00) per day or more than Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) per day may be imposed for deficiencies constituting immediate jeopardy to residents; provided, however, that specialized facilities for the developmentally disabled or nursing facilities licensed pursuant to this act, which do not participate in Medicaid or Medicare, shall be liable for the maximum penalty, not to exceed Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) for any related series of violations.

B.  The amount of the penalty shall be assessed by the Department pursuant to the provisions of subsection A of this section, after notice and opportunity for hearing.  Within ten (10) working days of the inspection documenting the violation, the facility may appeal this decision pursuant to Article II of the Administrative Procedures Act.  In determining the amount of the penalty, the Department shall include, but not be limited to, consideration of the nature, circumstances and gravity of the violation, the repetitive nature of the violation at this facility or others operated by the same entity, the previous degree of difficulty in obtaining compliance with the rules, and, with respect to the person found to have committed the violation, the degree of culpability, the facility's financial condition and substantial show of good faith in attempting to achieve compliance with the provisions of the Nursing Home Care Act.

C.  Any license holder may elect to surrender his license in lieu of said fine but shall be forever barred from obtaining a reissuance of the license or any other license issued pursuant to the Nursing Home Care Act.

Added by Laws 1989, c. 227, § 30, operative July 1, 1989.  Amended by Laws 1991, c. 127, § 9, emerg. eff. April 29, 1991; Laws 1995, c. 230, § 16, eff. July 1, 1995.