245A.07 Sanctions.
Subdivision 1. Sanctions available. In addition to ordering forfeiture of fines, the commissioner may propose to suspend, revoke, or make conditional the license or secure an injunction against the continuing operation of the program of a license holder who does not comply with applicable law or rule. When applying sanctions authorized under this section, the commissioner shall consider the nature, chronicity, or severity of the violation of law or rule and the effect of the violation on the health, safety, or rights of persons served by the program.
Subd. 2. Immediate suspension in cases of imminent danger to health, safety, or rights. If the license holder's failure to comply with applicable law or rule has placed the health, safety, or rights of persons served by the program in imminent danger, the commissioner shall act immediately to suspend the license. No state funds shall be made available or be expended by any agency or department of state, county, or municipal government for use by a license holder regulated under sections 245A.01 to 245A.16 while a license is under immediate suspension. A notice stating the reasons for the immediate suspension and informing the license holder of the right to a contested case hearing under chapter 14 must be delivered by personal service to the address shown on the application or the last known address of the license holder. The license holder may appeal an order immediately suspending a license. The appeal of an order immediately suspending a license must be made in writing by certified mail and must be received by the commissioner within five calendar days after the license holder receives notice that the license has been immediately suspended. A license holder and any controlling individual shall discontinue operation of the program upon receipt of the commissioner's order to immediately suspend the license.
Subd. 3. Suspension, revocation, denial of conditional license. The commissioner may suspend, revoke, make conditional, or deny a license if an applicant or a license holder fails to comply fully with applicable laws or rules, or knowingly withholds relevant information from or gives false or misleading information to the commissioner in connection with an application for a license or during an investigation. A license holder who has had a license suspended, revoked, or made conditional must be given notice of the action by certified mail. The notice must be mailed to the address shown on the application or the last known address of the license holder. The notice must state the reasons the license was suspended, revoked, or made conditional.
(a) If the license was suspended or revoked, the notice must inform the license holder of the right to a contested case hearing under chapter 14. The license holder may appeal an order suspending or revoking a license. The appeal of an order suspending or revoking a license must be made in writing by certified mail and must be received by the commissioner within ten calendar days after the license holder receives notice that the license has been suspended or revoked.
(b) If the license was made conditional, the notice must inform the license holder of the right to request a reconsideration by the commissioner. The request for reconsideration must be made in writing by certified mail and must be received by the commissioner within ten calendar days after the license holder receives notice that the license has been made conditional. The license holder may submit with the request for reconsideration written argument or evidence in support of the request for reconsideration. The commissioner's disposition of a request for reconsideration is final and is not subject to appeal under chapter 14.
Subd. 4. Adoption agency violations. If a license holder licensed to place children for adoption fails to provide services as described in the disclosure form required by section 259.37, subdivision 2, the sanctions under this section may be imposed.
HIST: 1987 c 333 s 7; 1989 c 282 art 2 s 80; 1990 c 568 art 2 s 45; 1992 c 513 art 9 s 11,12; 1994 c 631 s 6,31; 1995 c 207 art 2 s 14; 1997 c 248 s 26,27
Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes