Mr. Walsh of Boston, Mr. Walsh of Lynn, Mr. Garballey of Arlington, Mr. Rush of Boston, Mr. Wallace of Boston moves to amend the bill by adding the following section:
“SECTION
18. (A) Subsection (f) of section
197B of chapter 111 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official
Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following 3 paragraphs:
(5) In addition to the other penalties under
this subsection, the director of labor may issue a written warning or a civil
citation for violations of this section or regulations under this section.
Subsections (c) to (i), inclusive, of section 6F
(1/2) of chapter 149 shall apply to these citations.
(6) In addition to the cease-work order
authority under this section, whenever the department of labor has reason to
believe that any person, firm, corporation or other entity is engaging or is
about to engage in a violation of sections 197 or this section, or the
regulations under those sections, it may bring an action in the name of the
commonwealth against that person, firm, corporation or other entity to restrain
the violation by temporary restraining order or preliminary or permanent
injunction. Subsections (a) and (b) of section 6F
(1/2) of chapter 149 shall apply to these actions.
(7) The director of labor may adopt
regulations to carry out this section.
(B) Section
46R of chapter 140 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended
by inserting after the first paragraph the following paragraph:-
In addition to the penalties under the
preceding paragraph, the commissioner may issue a written warning or a civil
citation for violations of these sections. Subsections (c) to (i), inclusive,
of section
6F (1/2) of chapter 149 shall apply to these citations. The director of
labor may adopt regulations to carry out this section.
(C) Chapter
149 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 6F the
following section:-
Section 6F 1/2. (a) In addition to the cease
and desist authority in section 6E and the criminal penalties in section 6F,
whenever the commissioner has reason to believe that any person, firm,
corporation or other entity is engaging or is about to engage in a violation of
sections 6A to 6E, inclusive, or of any regulations under those sections, he
may bring an action in the name of the commonwealth against such person, firm,
corporation or other entity to restrain the violation by temporary restraining
order or preliminary or permanent injunction. The action may be brought in the
superior court of the county in which such person, firm, corporation or other
entity resides or has his principal place of business, or the action may be
brought in the superior court of Suffolk county with the consent of the parties
or if the person, firm, corporation or other entity has no place of business
within the commonwealth. If more than one person, firm, corporation or other
entity is joined as a defendant, the action may be brought in the superior
court of the county where any one defendant resides or has his principal place
of business, or in Suffolk county. The court may issue temporary restraining
orders or preliminary or permanent injunctions.
(b) Any person, firm, corporation or other
entity that violates an injunction issued under this section shall forfeit and
pay to the commonwealth a civil penalty of not more than $10,000 for each such
violation, where each day during which a person, firm, corporation or other
entity fails to comply with sections 6Ato 6E, inclusive, shall be considered a
separate violation. For the purposes of this section, the court issuing such an
injunction shall retain jurisdiction, and the case shall be continued, and in
such case the department may petition for recovery of this civil penalty.
(c) In addition to the remedies under
subsections (a) and (b), the commissioner may issue a written warning or a
civil citation for violations of this chapter or regulations under this
chapter. For each violation, a separate citation may be issued requiring any or
all of the following: that the infraction be rectified or that a civil penalty
of not more than $5,000 for each violation be paid to the commonwealth, within
21 days of the date of issuance of such citation.
(d) Notwithstanding other provisions of this
section, the maximum civil penalty that may be imposed upon any person, firm,
corporation or other entity who has not previously been either criminally
convicted of a violation of this chapter or issued a citation under this
chapter, shall be not more than $2,500, except that in instances in which the
commissioner determines that the person, firm, corporation or other entity
lacked specific intent to violate this chapter, the maximum civil penalty for
the person, firm, corporation or other entity that has not previously been
either criminally convicted of a violation of this chapter or issued a citation
under this chapter shall be not more than $1,000.
(e) In determining the amount of each civil
penalty, the department shall include, but not be limited to, the following
considerations: the actual and potential impact on public health, safety and
welfare and the environment of the failure to comply; whether the person, firm,
corporation or other entity being assessed the civil penalty took steps to
prevent noncompliance, to promptly come into compliance, and to remedy and
mitigate whatever harm might have been done as a result of such noncompliance;
whether the person, firm, corporation or other entity assessed the civil
penalty has previously failed to comply with any regulation, order, license or
approval issued or adopted by the department, or any law which the department
has authority or responsibility to enforce; deterring future noncompliance; the
financial condition of the person, firm, corporation or other entity being
assessed the civil penalty; and the public interest.
(f) Upon any failure to comply with the
requirements set forth in a citation, the commissioner may order the cessation
of all or the relevant activities of the person, firm, corporation or other
entity, and shall, within 10 days of such order, schedule a hearing on the
suspension or revocation of the license, under this chapter. Any license
suspension or revocation under this section shall also apply to all affiliates
of the person, firm, corporation or other entity as well as any successor
company or corporation that the commissioner upon investigation, determines to
not have a true independent existence apart from that of the violating person,
firm, corporation or other entity.
(g) Any person, firm, corporation or other
entity aggrieved by any citation or order issued pursuant to this subsection
may appeal it by filing a notice of appeal with the commissioner within 10 days
after the receipt of the citation or order. Chapter
30A shall apply to such appeals.
(h) In addition, no officer of any
corporation which has failed to pay any civil penalty under this section may
incorporate or serve as an officer in any corporation which did not have a
legal existence as of the date that the penalty became due and owing to the
commonwealth.
(i) The commissioner may adopt regulations
to carry out this section.”