Section 337.13 - Distributor Registration Certificate(a) Completion of the dry cleaning solvent distributor report form. Upon the executive director's determination that a submitted dry cleaning solvent distributor report form has been completed in accordance with this chapter and that all fees, penalties, and interest owed to the agency have been paid, a distributor registration certificate will be issued for the place of business covered by that registration. This certificate is necessary for the delivery of dry cleaning solvent under § 337.4 of this title (relating to General Prohibitions and Requirements).(b) Incomplete or inaccurate dry cleaning solvent distributor report form or nonpayment. The executive director will not issue a distributor registration certificate for dry cleaning solvent distributor report forms determined by the executive director to be incomplete or inaccurate (including illegible or unclear information) or if any fees, penalties, or interest are owed to the agency. In order for a form to be complete, the form must contain all requested information with clear, legible, and true responses.(c) Issuance of a registration certificate. The executive director's issuance of a registration certificate for a distributor does not constitute agency certification or affirmation of the compliance status of a location with this chapter, the Texas Water Code, or the Texas Health and Safety Code; or preclude the agency from investigating a location and pursuing enforcement action when apparent violations are discovered.(d) Registration certificate availability.(1) Prior to delivery of any dry cleaning solvent, a distributor shall make available to a person purchasing dry cleaning solvent a valid, current agency distributor registration certificate, or a legible copy of the certificate.(2) A distributor shall immediately display, upon request by agency staff, a valid, current agency registration certificate for a place of business.(3) A distributor shall display the original agency registration certificate at the place of business. The original registration certificate must be posted in a public area where the certificate is clearly visible.(e) Revocation or denial of certificate by the executive director. (1) The executive director may revoke or deny issuance of a certificate:(A) if the certificate was acquired by fraud, misrepresentation, or knowing failure to disclose material information;(B) if the distributor is in violation of any of the requirements of this chapter or Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 374, including late remittance of solvent fees and non-remittance of solvent fees; or(C) for any reason the executive director determines to be good cause for denial or revocation.(2) Prior to the revocation or denial of a certificate in accordance with this subsection, the executive director shall provide notice to the distributor of the facts alleged to warrant revocation or denial. The notice must be in writing and sent via certified mail, return receipt requested. If the certified mail is returned to the executive director as unclaimed, notice is presumed to be received by the distributor five days after mailing when:(A) the notice was sent to the address indicated on the distributor's most current registration; and(B) the notice was sent simultaneously via first class mail, postage paid.(3) The distributor shall have 30 days after receipt of notice to demonstrate to the executive director whether or not compliance has been maintained with all requirements of law for the retention of the certificate. The executive director shall make a determination whether to revoke or deny the certificate and shall provide such determination in writing to the distributor.(4) The distributor may appeal for commission review of the executive director's determination to revoke or deny a certificate pursuant to this subsection. An appeal must be in writing and filed by United States mail, facsimile, or hand delivery with the commission's Office of the Chief Clerk no later than 23 days after the date the agency mails notice of the executive director's determination to revoke or deny a certificate. The original and 11 copies of the appeal must be filed. If the appeal is filed by facsimile, the distributor must file with the Office of the Chief Clerk the original and 11 copies by mail or hand delivery within three days. If an appeal meeting the requirements of this subsection is not filed within the time period specified, the executive director's determination is final.(A) In addition to filing the appeal with the Office of the Chief Clerk, the distributor shall mail or deliver a copy of the appeal to: (i) the executive director; and(ii) the Office of the Public Interest Counsel.(B) An appeal filed under this subsection must:(i) provide a copy of the distributor's registration information;(ii) specify the executive director determination for which commission review is being sought;(iii) request commission consideration of the executive director determination; and(iv) explain the basis for the appeal.(C) A proceeding based upon an appeal filed under this subsection is not a contested case for purposes of Texas Government Code, Chapter 2001.(f) In addition to subsection (e) of this section, the executive director may seek to revoke a certificate by filing a petition in accordance with the procedures set forth in Chapter 70 of this title (relating to Enforcement) if the executive director determines that any of the reasons in subsection (e)(1) of this section exist.(g) Revocation of a certificate under subsection (e) or (f) of this section is cumulative of any other remedies available to the agency by law.30 Tex. Admin. Code § 337.13
The provisions of this §337.13 adopted to be effective June 1, 2005, 30 TexReg 3108; amended to be effective February 1, 2006, 31 TexReg 548; amended to be effective June 26, 2008, 33 TexReg 4898