Section 2-16-3 - Permit required; refusal or revocation of permit; appeal and review(a) No person, firm or corporation shall operate a public hatchery, and no chick dealer or jobber shall operate within this state without first obtaining an annual permit from the state Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries to so operate. The fee to be paid for such annual permit shall be established by the Board of Agriculture and Industries not to exceed sixty dollars ($60), which shall be due and payable on January 1 of each year; and, unless such permit fee is paid within 30 days, a 15 percent delinquent penalty shall be added. All permit fees, including delinquent penalty fees, shall be paid into the Agricultural Fund of the State Treasury. The permit may be revoked for a violation of this article or the regulations promulgated under this article.(b) Any person who is refused a permit or whose permit is revoked may appeal from the decision of such commissioner to the State Board of Agriculture and Industries by a written demand for such appeal, which appeal must be heard at the next meeting of the State Board of Agriculture and Industries. The board shall enter judgment as it deems proper from the facts.(c) The action of the board in refusing to grant or in revoking any permit may be reviewed by the circuit court of the county in which the hatchery, chick dealer or jobber is located or resides, upon a complaint being filed in the circuit court, accompanied by a bond to be approved by the register or clerk, within 15 days after notice to the applicant or permittee of the board's decision. The complaint shall be styled in the name of the applicant or permittee as plaintiff against the commissioner, as defendant, and shall set forth the action complained of and request its reversal. The commissioner shall serve an answer within 30 days after the complaint is served upon him or her. The case shall be heard de novo by the court and it shall be determined from the evidence whether the refusal or revocation of the permit is or is not justified under the provisions of this article, and judgment shall be accordingly entered, subject to the right of appeal, which shall lie as in other civil cases, which decision shall be binding upon the parties.(d) Appeal rights provided in this section shall not suspend the action of the commissioner in the revocation or refusal of a permit.Ala. Code § 2-16-3 (1975)
Acts 1945, No. 481, p. 718, §3; Acts 1951, No. 556, p. 972, §1; Act 2004-516, p. 996, §1.