§ 50-5-113 — Criminal Penalties

50-5-113 . Criminal penalties. (1) A person is guilty of a criminal offense under this section if the person knowingly conceals material information about the operation of the facility or does any of the following and by doing so threatens the health or safety of one or more individuals entrusted to the care of the person:
(a) commits an act prohibited by 50-5-111 ;
(b) omits material information or makes a false statement or representation in an application, record, report, or other document filed, maintained, or used for compliance with the provisions of part 1 or 2 of this chapter or with rules, license provisions, or orders adopted or issued pursuant to part 1 or 2; or
(c) destroys, alters, conceals, or fails to file or maintain any record, information, or application required to be maintained or filed in compliance with a provision of part 1 or 2 of this chapter or in compliance with a rule, license provision, or order adopted or issued pursuant to part 1 or 2.
(2) A person convicted under subsection (1) is subject to a fine of not more than $1,000 for the first offense and not more than $2,000 for each subsequent offense for each day that a facility is in violation of a provision of part 1 or 2 of this chapter or of a rule, license provision, or order adopted or issued pursuant to part 1 or 2.
(3) In determining the amount of penalty to be assessed for an alleged violation under this section, the court shall consider:
(a) the gravity of the violation in terms of the degree of physical or mental harm to a resident or patient;
(b) the degree of harm to the health, safety, rights, security, or welfare of a resident or patient;
(c) the degree of deviation committed by the facility from a requirement imposed by part 1 or 2 of this chapter or by a rule, license provision, or order adopted or issued pursuant to part 1 or 2; and
(d) other matters as justice may require.
(4) Prosecution under this section does not bar enforcement under any other section of this chapter or pursuit of any other appropriate remedy by the department.
(5) Venue for prosecution pursuant to this section is in the county in which the facility is located.
(6) A penalty collected under this section must be deposited in the state general fund.

Legislative History

En. Sec. 3, Ch. 415, L. 1993; amd. Sec. 43, Ch. 422, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 19, Ch. 535, L. 2021.