Section He-P 814.14 - Enforcement Actions and Hearings(a) Prior to taking enforcement action against an applicant or licensee, the department shall send to the applicant or licensee a written notice that sets forth: (1) The reasons for the proposed action;(2) The action to be taken by the department;(3) If a fine is imposed, the automatic reduction of the fine by 25% if the fine is paid within 10 days of the date on the written notice from the department and the area of non-compliance has been corrected, or a POC has been accepted and approved by the department; and(4) The right of an applicant or licensee to an administrative hearing in accordance with RSA 151:8 or RSA 541-A:30, III, as applicable, before the enforcement action becomes final.(b) The department shall deny an application or revoke a license if: (1) An applicant or a licensee violated RSA 151 or He-P 814 in a manner which poses a risk of harm to an individual's health, safety, or well-being;(2) An applicant or a licensee has failed to pay an administrative fine;(3) An applicant or a licensee has had a check returned to the department for insufficient funds and has not re-submitted the outstanding fee in the form of cash, money order, or certified check;(4) After being notified of and given an opportunity to supply missing information, an applicant or licensee fails to submit an application that meets the requirements of He-P 814.05;(5) An applicant, licensee, or any representative or employee of the applicant or licensee: a. Provides false or misleading information to the department;b. Prevents. interferes, or fails to cooperate with any inspection or investigation conducted by the department; orc. Fails to provide requested files or documents to the department;(6) The licensee failed to implement or continue to implement a POC that has been accepted or imposed by the department in accordance with He-P 814.13(c), (d), and (e);(7) The licensee is cited a third time under RSA 151 or He-P 814 for the same violations within the last 5 inspections;(8) A licensee, including corporate officers or board members, has had a license revoked and submits an application during the 5-year prohibition period specified in (i) below;(9) Unless a waiver has been granted, upon inspection, the applicant's premise is not in compliance with RSA 151 or He-P 814;(10) Unless a waiver has been granted, the department makes a determination that the applicant, administrator, licensee, or a household member has been convicted of or adjudicated for a sexual assault or other violent crime, theft or fraud, or a finding of abuse, neglect or exploitation in this or any other state, or poses a threat to the health, safety, or well-being of an individual;(11) The applicant or licensee fails to employ a qualified administrator; or(12) The applicant has had a license revoked by another division or unit of the department within a 5 year period of the application.(c) The department shall impose fines as follows:(1) For a failure to cease providing unlicensed services after being notified by the department of the need for a license, in violation of RSA 151:2, the fine shall be $2000.00 for an applicant or unlicensed person or entity;(2) For a failure to cease operations after a denial of a license or after receipt of an order to cease and desist immediately, in violation of RSA 151:2, or continuing to operate after a failure to renew the license by the expiration date, the fine for an applicant, unlicensed person or entity, or a licensee shall be $2000.00;(3) For advertising services or otherwise representing themselves as having a license to provide services that they are not licensed to provide, in violation of RSA 151:2, III and He-P 814.15(g), the fine for an applicant, licensee, or unlicensed person or entity shall be $500.00;(4) For a failure to transfer an individual whose needs exceed the services or programs provided by the CR after being directed by the department to transfer the individual, in violation of RSA 151:5-a, the fine shall be $500.00;(5) For a failure to comply with the directives of a warning issued by the department in violation of RSA 151:7-a and He-P 814.12(f), the fine shall be $500.00;(6) For a failure to submit a renewal application for a license prior to the expiration date, in violation of He-P 814.07(b), the fine shall be $100.00;(7) For a failure to notify the department prior to a change of ownership, in violation of He-P 814.09(a) (1), the fine shall be $500.00;(8) For a failure to notify the department prior to a change in the physical location, in violation of He-P 814.09(a) (2), the fine shall be $1000.00;(9) For a failure to notify the department of a change in e-mail address, in violation of He-P 814.09(m), the fine shall be $100.00;(10) For a refusal to allow access by the department to the CR's premises, programs, services, or records, in violation of He-P 814.10(a), the fine for an applicant, person, or licensee shall be $2000.00;(11) For a failure to submit a POC or revised POC, within 21 or 14 days, respectively, of the date on the letter that transmits the inspection report, or the date of an extension as granted, in violation of He-P 814.13(c) (2) and (5), the fine for a licensee shall be $500.00;(12) For a failure to implement or maintain the corrective action set forth in any POC that has been accepted or issued by the department, in violation of He-P 814.13(c) (8), the fine for a licensee shall be $1000.00;(13) For a failure to establish, implement, or comply with licensee policies, as required by He-P 814.15(d), the fine for a licensee shall be $500.00;(14) For a failure to provide services or programs required by the licensing classification and specified by He-P 814.15(c), the fine for a licensee shall be $500.00;(15) For exceeding the maximum number of occupants, in violation of He-P 814.15(k), the fine for a licensee shall be $500.00;(16) For providing false or misleading information or documentation, in violation of He-P 814.15(f), the fine shall be $1000.00 per offense;(17) For a failure to meet the needs of an individual, in violation of He-P 814.15(i) (1), the fine for a licensee shall be $1000.00 per individual;(18) For placing an individual in a room that, based on the floor plan required by He-P 814.05(a) (2), has not been approved or licensed by the department, the fine for a licensee shall be $500.00;(19) For employing an administrator or other personnel who do not meet the qualifications for the position, without having a waiver granted by the department in accordance with He-P 814.11, in violation of He-P 814.15(i) (4) and (5), the fine for a licensee shall be $500.00;(20) For failure to submit architectural plans or drawings, when applicable, prior to undertaking construction or renovation of the licensed facility, in violation of He-P 814.08(a), the fine for a licensed facility shall be $500.00;(21) For occupying a renovated area of a licensed facility or new construction prior to approval by local and state authorities, the fine shall be $500.00, which shall be assessed daily;(22) When an inspection determines that a violation of RSA 151 or He-P 814 has the potential to jeopardize the health, safety, or well-being of an individual, in addition to any other enforcement actions taken by the department, the fines assessed shall be as follows: a. If the same area of non-compliance is cited within 2 years of the original area of non-compliance, the fine for a licensee shall be $1000.00; orb. If the same area of non-compliance is cited a third time within 2 years of being fined in a. above, the fine for a licensee shall be $2000.00;(23) Each day that the person or licensee continues to be in violation of the provisions of RSA 151 or He-P 814 shall constitute a separate violation and shall be fined in accordance with He-P 814.14(c); and(24) If the applicant or licensee is making good faith efforts to comply with (4), (5) or (19) above, the department shall not issue a daily fine.(d) Payment of any imposed fine to the department shall meet the following requirements: (1) Payment shall be made in the form of check or money order made payable to the "Treasurer, State of New Hampshire" or cash in the exact amount due; and(2) Cash, money order, or certified check shall be required when an applicant or licensee has issued payment to the department by check, and such check was returned for insufficient funds.(e) An applicant or licensee shall have 30 days after receipt of the notice of enforcement action to request a hearing to contest the action.(f) If a written request for a hearing is not made pursuant to (e) above, the action of the department shall become final.(g) The department shall order the immediate suspension of a license and the cessation of operations when it finds that the health, safety, or well-being of individuals is in jeopardy and emergency action is required in accordance with RSA 541-A:30, III.(h) If an immediate suspension is upheld, the licensee shall not resume operating until the department determines through inspection that compliance with RSA 151 and He-P 814 is achieved.(i) Hearings under this section shall be conducted in accordance with RSA 541-A and He-C 200.(j) When a CR's license has been denied or revoked, if the enforcement action specifically pertained to his or her role in the CR, the applicant, licensee, or administrator shall not be eligible to reapply for a license or be employed as an administrator for at least 5 years.(k) The 5 year period referenced in (j) above shall begin on: (1) The date of the department's decision to revoke or deny the license, if no appeal is filed; or(2) The date a final decision upholding the action of the department is issued, if a request for a hearing is made and a hearing is held.(l) Notwithstanding (k) above, the department shall consider an application submitted after the decision to revoke or deny becomes final, if the applicant demonstrates that circumstances have changed to the extent that the department now has good cause to believe that the applicant has the requisite degree of knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to maintain compliance with the provisions of RSA 151 and He-P 814.(m) If the department has reasonable information or evidence that a licensee, applicant, administrator, or others are circumventing rule (j) above by applying for a license through an agent or other person and will retain ownership, management authority, or both, the department shall deny the application.(n) RSA 541-A shall govern further appeals of department decisions under this section.(o) No ongoing enforcement action shall preclude the imposition of any remedy available to the department under RSA 151, RSA 541-A, or He-P 814.N.H. Admin. Code § He-P 814.14
Amended by Volume XXXVI Number 49, Filed December 8, 2016, Proposed by #12048, Effective 11/19/2016, Expires 5/18/2017.Amended by Volume XXXVII Number 37, Filed September 14, 2017, Proposed by #12374, Effective 9/1/2017, Expires 9/1/2027.