Article 3 - Offenses

California Health and Safety Code — §§ 11834.30-11834.34

Sections (5)

Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 847, Sec. 58. (AB 2995) Effective January 1, 2025.

A person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, or local governmental entity shall not operate, establish, manage, conduct, or maintain an alcohol or other drug recovery or treatment facility to provide recovery, treatment, or detoxification services within this state without first obtaining a current valid license issued pursuant to this chapter.

§ 11834.31

Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 847, Sec. 59. (AB 2995) Effective January 1, 2025.

If a facility is alleged to be in violation of Section 11834.30, the department shall conduct a site visit to investigate the allegation. If the department’s employee or agent finds evidence that the facility is providing alcohol or other drug recovery, treatment, or detoxification services without a license, the employee or agent shall take the following actions:

(a)Submit the findings of the investigation to the department.

(b)Upon departmental authorization, issue a written notice to the facility stating that the facility is operating in violation of Section 11834.30. The notice shall include all of the following:

(1)The date by which the facility shall cease providing services.

(2)Notice that the department will assess against the facility a civil penalty of two thousand dollars ($2,000) per day for every day the facility continues to provide services beyond the date specified in the notice.

(3)Notice that the case will be referred for civil proceedings pursuant to Section 11834.32 in the event the facility continues to provide services beyond the date specified in the notice.

(c)Inform the facility of the licensing requirements of this chapter.

(d)A person or entity found to be in violation of Section 11834.30

shall be prohibited from applying for initial licensure for a period of five years from the date of the notice specified in subdivision (b).

§ 11834.32

Added by renumbering Section 11834.30 by Stats. 1993, Ch. 741, Sec. 13. Effective January 1, 1994.

(a)The director may bring an action to enjoin the violation of Section 11834.30 in the superior court in and for the county in which the violation occurred. Any proceeding under this section shall conform to the requirements of Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 525) of Title 7 of Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure, except that the director shall not be required to allege facts necessary to show or tending to show lack of adequate remedy at law or irreparable damage or loss.

(b)With respect to any and all actions brought pursuant to this section alleging actual violation of Section 11834.30, the court shall, if it finds the allegations to be true, issue its order enjoining the alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment facility from continuance of the violation.

§ 11834.33

Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 261, Sec. 1. (AB 424) Effective January 1, 2026.

When the department receives a complaint against an alcohol or other drug recovery or treatment facility licensed pursuant to this chapter, or against a facility alleged to be in violation of Section 11834.30, from a member of the public, the department shall do both of the following:

(a)Within 10 days of the date of the complaint, provide notice to the person filing the complaint that the complaint has been received.

(b)Upon closing the complaint, provide notice to the person filing the complaint that the complaint has been closed and whether the department found the facility to be in violation of this chapter.

§ 11834.34

Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 775, Sec. 6. (AB 3162) Effective January 1, 2019.

(a)In addition to the penalties of suspension or revocation of a license issued under this chapter, the department may also levy a civil penalty for violation of this chapter or the regulations adopted pursuant to this chapter.

(1)The amount of the civil penalty, as determined by the department, shall not be less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250) or more than five hundred dollars ($500) per day for each violation, except where the nature or seriousness of the violation or the frequency of the violation warrants a higher penalty or an immediate civil penalty assessment, or both, as determined by the department. In no event shall a civil penalty assessment exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000) per day.

(2)A licensee that is cited for repeating the same violation within 24 months of the first violation is subject to an immediate civil penalty of five hundred dollars ($500) and seven hundred fifty dollars ($750) for each day the violation continues until the deficiency is corrected.

(3)A licensee that has been assessed a civil penalty pursuant to paragraph (2) that repeats the same violation within 24 months of the violation subject to paragraph (2) is subject to an immediate civil penalty of five hundred dollars ($500) and one thousand dollars ($1,000) for each day the violation continues until the deficiency is corrected.

(b)Prior to the assessment of any civil penalty, the department shall provide the licensee with notice requiring the licensee to correct the deficiency within the period of time specified in

the notice.