Section 18.46.056 - Cease and desist notices-Adjudicative proceedings-Penalties(1) The department may give written notice to cease and desist to any person whom the department has reason to believe is engaged in the unlicensed operation of a birthing center.(2)(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the requirement to cease and desist unlicensed operation is effective 20 days after the person receives the notice.(b) The department may make the date the action is effective sooner than 20 days after receipt when necessary to protect the public health, safety, or welfare. When the department does so, it shall state the effective date and the reasons supporting the effective date in the written notice to cease and desist.(3) The person to whom the notice to cease and desist is issued may request an adjudicative proceeding to contest the notice. The adjudicative proceeding is governed by the administrative procedure act, chapter 34.05 RCW. The request for an adjudicative proceeding must be in writing, state the basis for contesting the notice, include a copy of the notice, and be served on and received by the department within 20 days from the date the person receives the notice to cease and desist.(4)(a) If the department gives a person 20 days' notice to cease and desist and the person requests an adjudicative proceeding before its effective date, the department shall not implement the notice until the final order has been entered. The presiding or reviewing officer may permit the department to implement part or all of the notice while the proceedings are pending if the respondent causes an unreasonable delay in the proceeding, if the circumstances change so that implementation is in the public interest, or for other good cause.(b) If the department gives a licensee less than 20 days' notice to cease and desist and the respondent timely files a request for an adjudicative proceeding, the department may implement the cease and desist on the effective date stated in the notice. The presiding or reviewing officer may order the department to stay implementation of part or all of the adverse action while the proceedings are pending if staying implementation is in the public interest or for other good cause.(5) The department may assess a civil fine not exceeding $5,000 for each day a person operates a birthing center without a valid license. (a) The department shall give written notice to the person against whom it assesses a civil fine.(b) Except as otherwise provided in (c) and (d) of this subsection, the civil fine is due and payable 20 days after receipt.(c) The person against whom the department assesses a civil fine has the right to request an adjudicative proceeding. The proceeding is governed by the administrative procedure act, chapter 34.05 RCW. The request must be in writing, state the basis for contesting the fine, include a copy of the notice, be served on and received by the department within 20 days of the person receiving the notice of civil fine, and be served in a manner which shows proof of receipt.(d) If the person files a timely and sufficient request for adjudicative proceeding, the department shall not implement the fine until the final order has been served.(6) Neither the issuance of a cease and desist order nor payment of a civil fine shall relieve the person so operating a birthing center without a license from criminal prosecution, but the remedy of a cease and desist order or civil fine shall be in addition to any criminal liability. A final notice to cease and desist is conclusive proof of unlicensed operation and may be enforced under RCW 7.21.060. This method of enforcement of the final notice to cease and desist or civil fine may be used in addition to, or as an alternative to, any provisions for enforcement of agency orders set out in chapter 34.05 RCW.Added by 2024 c 121,§ 3, eff. 6/6/2024.