§ 45:17A-33 — Attorney General, designee constituted agency head; violations, penalties.

16. a. For purposes of the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), the Attorney General or his designee shall constitute the agency head and have the final decision making power. b. After notice and an opportunity for a hearing, the Attorney General may revoke, or suspend any registration upon a finding that the registrant or any officer, director, trustee or principal salaried executive staff employee of a registrant or any other person subject to the provisions of P.L.1994, c.16 (C.45:17A-18 et seq.): (1) Has filed a registration statement containing false or misleading facts or omitting material facts; (2) Has violated or failed to comply with any of the provisions of this act or the rules adopted under authority of this act; (3) Has engaged in the use or employment of dishonesty, fraud, deception, misrepresentation, false promise or false pretense; (4) Has been convicted of any criminal offense committed in connection with the performance of activities regulated under this act or any criminal offense involving untruthfulness or dishonesty or any criminal offense relating adversely to the registrant's fitness to perform activities regulated by this act. For the purposes of this paragraph, a plea of guilty, non vult, nolo contendere or any other similar disposition of alleged criminal activity shall be deemed a conviction; (5) Has had the authority to engage in charitable activities denied, revoked or suspended by New Jersey or any other state or jurisdiction; (6) Has been adjudged liable in an administrative or civil proceeding involving theft, fraud or deceptive business practices including, but not limited to, any finding of unlawful practice or practices related to the solicitation of contributions or the administration of charitable assets, regardless of whether that finding was made in the context of an injunction, a proceeding resulting in penalties, consented to in an assurance of voluntary compliance or any similar order or legal agreement with any state or federal agency; (7) Has engaged in other forms of misconduct as may be determined by rules adopted by the Attorney General. c. Whenever it shall appear to the Attorney General that a person has engaged in, is engaging in, or is about to engage in, any act or practice declared unlawful by this act, or when the Attorney General determines it to be in the public interest to inquire whether a violation may exist, the Attorney General may: (1) Require any person to file, on a form to be prescribed by the Attorney General, a statement or report in writing under oath, or otherwise, concerning any relevant and material information in connection with an act or practice subject to this act; (2) Examine under oath any person in connection with any act or practice subject to this act; (3) Inspect any location from which the activity regulated by this act is conducted; (4) Examine any goods, ware or items used in the rendering of any of the services contained in this act; (5) Require an audited financial statement of the financial records of the organization or person registered, exempted or required to be registered under this act, prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles or other comprehensive basis of accounting approved for use by the Attorney General by regulation which has been audited in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards by an independent certified public accountant and any management letters prepared by the auditor in connection with the audit commenting on the internal accounting controls or management practices of the organization; (6) Examine any book, document, account, computer data, literature, publication or paper maintained by or for any organization or person registered, exempted or required to be registered under this act, in the course of engaging in the activities regulated by this act; (7) Apply to Superior Court for an order to impound any record, book, document, account, computer data, literature, publication, paper, goods, ware, or item used or maintained by any organization or person registered, exempted or required to be registered under this act in the regular course of engaging in the activities regulated by this act or rules adopted under this act; (8) In order to accomplish the objectives of this act, or the rules adopted under this act, hold investigative hearings as necessary and issue subpoenas to compel the attendance of any person or the production of books, records, computer data, literature, publication or papers at any investigative hearing or inquiry. d. Any person who engages in any conduct or an act in violation of any provision of this act and who has not previously violated this act shall, in addition to any other relief authorized by this or any other law, be liable for a civil penalty of not more than $10,000 for the first violation of this act. For a second violation of this act, or if a person is found liable for more than one violation of this act within a single proceeding, the liability for the second violation shall not exceed a civil penalty in the amount of $20,000. For a third violation of this act, or if a person is found liable for more than two violations of this act within a single proceeding, the liability for a third or any succeeding violation shall not exceed a civil penalty in the amount of $20,000 for each additional violation. In lieu of an administrative proceeding or an action in the Superior Court, the Attorney General may bring an action for the collection or enforcement of civil penalties for the violation of any provision of this act. The action may be brought in a summary manner, pursuant to the "Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999," P.L.1999, c.274 (C.2A:58-10 et seq.) and the Rules Governing the Courts of the State of New Jersey governing actions for the collection of civil penalties, in the Municipal Court or Special Civil Part of the Law Division of the Superior Court in the municipality or county where the offense occurred. Process in the action may be by summons or warrant. If the defendant in the action fails to answer the action, the court shall, upon finding that an unlawful act or practice has been committed by the defendant, issue a warrant for the defendant's arrest in order to bring the person before the court to satisfy the civil penalties imposed. In an action commenced pursuant to this section, the court may order restored to any person in interest any moneys or property acquired by means of an unlawful act or practice. An action alleging the unregistered practice of the activities regulated by this act may be brought pursuant to this section or, where injunctive relief is sought, by an action commenced in the Superior Court. In an action brought pursuant to this act, the Attorney General or the court may order the payment of attorney's fees and costs for the use of the State. e. Whenever it shall appear to the Attorney General that a violation of this act has occurred, is occurring, or will occur, the Attorney General, in addition to any other proceeding authorized by law, may seek and obtain in a summary proceeding in the Superior Court an injunction prohibiting the act or practice. In the proceeding the court may assess a civil penalty in accordance with the provisions of this act, order restoration to any person in interest of any moneys or property, real or personal, acquired by means of an unlawful act or practice and may enter any orders necessary to prevent the performance of an unlawful practice in the future and to remedy fully any past unlawful activity. f. Upon the failure of any person to comply within 10 days after service of any order of the Attorney General directing payment of penalties, attorney's fees, costs or restoration of moneys or property as authorized by this act, the Attorney General may issue a certificate to the Clerk of the Superior Court that the person is indebted to the State for the payment. A copy of the certificate shall be served upon the person against whom the order was entered. The clerk shall immediately enter upon the record of docketed judgments the name of the person so indebted and of the State, a designation of the statute under which each payment was directed, the amount of each payment, a listing of property ordered restored, and the date of the certification. The entry shall have the same force and effect as the entry of a docketed judgment in the Superior Court and the Attorney General shall have all rights and remedies of a judgment creditor, in addition to exercising any other available remedies. g. If a person fails or refuses to file any statement or report, or fails or refuses to grant access to premises from which activities regulated by this act are conducted in any lawfully conducted investigative matter, or fails to obey a subpoena issued pursuant to this act, the Attorney General may apply to the Superior Court and obtain an order: (1) Adjudging that person in contempt of court and assessing civil penalties in accordance with the amounts prescribed by this act; (2) Enjoining the conduct of any practice in violation of this act; or (3) Granting other relief as required. h. If a person who refuses to testify or produce any computer data, book, paper, or document in any proceeding under this act for the reason that the testimony or evidence, documentary or otherwise, required of him may tend to incriminate him, or convict him of a crime, is directed to testify or to produce the computer data, book, paper, or document by the Attorney General, he shall comply with the direction. A person who is entitled by law to and does assert a privilege, and who complies with the direction of the Attorney General, shall not thereafter be prosecuted or subject to any penalty or forfeiture in any criminal proceeding which arises out of and relates to the subject matter of the proceeding. No person so testifying shall be exempt from prosecution or punishment for perjury or false swearing committed by him in giving the testimony or from any civil or administrative action arising from the testimony. i. In addition or as an alternative to revocation or suspension of a registration, the Attorney General may, after affording an opportunity to be heard and finding a violation of this act: (1) Assess civil penalties in accordance with this act; (2) Direct that any person cease and desist from any act or practice in violation of this act or take necessary affirmative corrective action with regard to any unlawful act or practice; (3) Order any person to restore to any person aggrieved by an unlawful act or practice any money or property, real or personal, acquired by means of any unlawful act or practice, except that the Attorney General shall not order restoration in a dollar amount greater than those moneys received by the registrant or his agent or any other person violating this act; (4) Order the payment of attorney's fees and costs for the use of the State; or (5) Authorize the release of sums from any bond maintained pursuant to this act in satisfaction of assessments. j. Whenever a person engages in any act or practice in violation of this act the Attorney General may, after notice and opportunity to be heard and upon a finding that the act or practice has occurred, enter an order: (1) Directing the person to cease and desist from that unlawful act or practice; (2) Assessing civil penalties in accordance with this act; (3) Directing that person restore to any person aggrieved by the unlawful act or practice any money or property, real or personal, acquired by means of the unlawful act or practice, except that the Attorney General shall not order restoration in a dollar amount greater than those moneys received by the registrant, agent or any other person violating this act; (4) Directing payment of attorney's fees and costs for the use of the State; or (5) Authorizing the release of sums from any bond maintained pursuant to P.L.1994, c.16 (C.45:17A-18 et seq.) in satisfaction of assessments. k. When it shall appear to the Attorney General that a person against whom an order pursuant to this section has been entered has violated the order, the Attorney General may initiate a summary proceeding in the Superior Court for enforcement of the order. Any person found to have violated such an order shall be ordered to comply with the prior administrative order and may be ordered to pay civil penalties in the amount of not more than $25,000 for each violation of the order. If a person fails to pay a civil penalty assessed by the court for violation of an order, the court assessing the unpaid penalty is authorized, upon application of the Attorney General, to grant any relief which may be obtained under any statute or court rule governing the collection and enforcement of penalties. l. In any administrative proceeding on a complaint alleging a violation of this act, the Attorney General may issue subpoenas to compel the attendance of witnesses or the production of computer data, books, records, or documents at the hearing on the complaint as provided by this act. m. In addition to any other action or remedy available under this act, a charitable organization aggrieved by a violation of paragraph (4) or (8) of subsection c. of section 15 of this act may initiate a civil action or assert a counterclaim in any court of competent jurisdiction against the violator. Upon establishing the violation, the charitable organization shall recover treble its damages or treble the violator's profits, whichever is greater. In all actions under this subsection the court shall award reasonable attorney's fees, filing fees and reasonable costs of suit. n. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section to the contrary, a parent organization may be held accountable for actions related to information filed on behalf of a local unit only if the parent organization has filed information knowing that the information is false or misleading or knowing that material facts are omitted. o. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section to the contrary, any local unit that has provided to its parent organization timely, truthful and complete information and otherwise conducted itself in compliance with the provisions of this act, shall not be held accountable for the misconduct of a parent organization, including, but not limited to, the failure of the parent organization to file timely reports on behalf of the local unit. L.1994,c.16,s.16; amended 2005, c.283, s.11.