§ 74C-17.  Enforcement.

(a) The Board may apply in its own name to any judge of the superior court of the General Court of Justice for an injunction in order to prevent any violation or threatened violation of the provisions of this Chapter.

(b) Any person, firm, association, or corporation or their agents and employees violating any of the provisions of this Chapter is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. The Attorney General, or the Attorney General's representative, has concurrent jurisdiction with the district attorneys of this State to prosecute violations of this Chapter.

(c) In lieu of revocation or suspension of a license or permit under G.S. 74C-12, a civil penalty of not more than two thousand dollars ($2,000) per violation may be assessed by the Board against any person or business who violates any provision of this Chapter or any rule of the Board adopted pursuant to this Chapter. In determining the amount of any penalty, the Board shall consider the degree and extent of harm caused by the violation. The clear proceeds of civil penalties provided for in this subsection shall be remitted to the Civil Penalty and Forfeiture Fund in accordance with G.S. 115C-457.2.

(d) Proceedings for the assessment of civil penalties under this section are governed by Chapter 150B of the General Statutes. If the person assessed a civil penalty fails to pay the penalty to the Board, the Board may institute an action in the superior court of the county in which the person resides or has a principal place of business to recover the unpaid amount of the penalty. An action to recover a civil penalty under this section does not relieve any party from any other penalty prescribed by law. (1979, c. 818, s. 2; 1983, c. 794, s. 6; 1989, c. 759, s. 14; 1993, c. 539, s. 557; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c); 1998-215, s. 98; 2021-84, s. 3; 2022-66, s. 1.)