Source: http://us-code.vlex.com/vid/disqualification-wholesale-concerns-19270441
Timestamp: 2014-07-28 14:22:42
Document Index: 198398487

Matched Legal Cases: ['§12', '§1301', '§175', '§1532', '§344', '§1743', '§13943', '§401', '§841', '§4132', '§4', '§4132', '§4132', '§4132', '§4132', '§4132', '§4132', '§4132', '§4132', '§4132', '§4132', '§4132', '§841', '§401', '§13943', '§13944', '§1743', '§175']

7 USC 2021 - Sec. 2021. Civil money penalties and disqualification of retail
food stores and wholesale food concerns - U.S. Code
food stores and wholesale food concerns
(a) Disqualification(1) In generalAn approved retail food store or wholesale food concern that violates a provision of this chapter or a regulation under this chapter may be—
(2) RegulationsRegulations promulgated under this chapter shall provide criteria for the finding of a violation of, the suspension or disqualification of and the assessment of a civil penalty against a retail food store or wholesale food concern on the basis of evidence that may include facts established through on-site investigations, inconsistent redemption data, or evidence obtained through a transaction report under an electronic benefit transfer system.
(b) Period of disqualificationSubject to subsection (c), a disqualification under subsection (a) of this section shall be—
(C) a finding of the sale of firearms, ammunition, explosives, or controlled substance (as defined in section 802 of title 21) for coupons, except that the Secretary shall have the discretion to impose a civil penalty of up to $20,000 for each violation (except that the amount of civil money penalties imposed for violations occurring during a single investigation may not exceed $40,000) in lieu of disqualification under this subparagraph if the Secretary determines that there is substantial evidence (including evidence that neither the ownership nor management of the store or food concern was aware of, approved, benefited from, or was involved in the conduct or approval of the violation) that the store or food concern had an effective policy and program in effect to prevent violations of this chapter; and
(c) Civil penalty and review of disqualification and penalty determinations(1) Civil penaltyIn addition to a disqualification under this section, the Secretary may assess a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed $100,000 for each violation.
(2) ReviewThe action of disqualification or the imposition of a civil penalty shall be subject to review as provided in section 2023 of this title.
(d) Conditions of authorization(1) In generalAs a condition of authorization to accept and redeem benefits, the Secretary may require a retail food store or wholesale food concern that, pursuant to subsection (a), has been disqualified for more than 180 days, or has been subjected to a civil penalty in lieu of a disqualification period of more than 180 days, to furnish a collateral bond or irrevocable letter of credit for a period of not more than 5 years to cover the value of benefits that the store or concern may in the future accept and redeem in violation of this chapter.
(2) CollateralThe Secretary also may require a retail food store or wholesale food concern that has been sanctioned for a violation and incurs a subsequent sanction regardless of the length of the disqualification period to submit a collateral bond or irrevocable letter of credit.
(3) Bond requirementsThe Secretary shall, by regulation, prescribe the amount, terms, and conditions of such bond.
(4) ForfeitureIf the Secretary finds that such store or concern has accepted and redeemed coupons in violation of this chapter after furnishing such bond, such store or concern shall forfeit to the Secretary an amount of such bond which is equal to the value of coupons accepted and redeemed by such store or concern in violation of this chapter.
(5) HearingA store or concern described in paragraph (4) may obtain a hearing on such forfeiture pursuant to section 2023 of this title.
(e) Transfer of ownership; penalty in lieu of disqualification period; fines for acceptance of loose coupons; judicial action to recover penalty or fine(1) In the event any retail food store or wholesale food concern that has been disqualified under subsection (a) of this section is sold or the ownership thereof is otherwise transferred to a purchaser or transferee, the person or persons who sell or otherwise transfer ownership of the retail food store or wholesale food concern shall be subjected to a civil penalty in an amount established by the Secretary through regulations to reflect that portion of the disqualification period that has not yet expired. If the retail food store or wholesale food concern has been disqualified permanently, the civil penalty shall be double the penalty for a ten-year disqualification period, as calculated under regulations issued by the Secretary. The disqualification period imposed under subsection (b) of this section shall continue in effect as to the person or persons who sell or otherwise transfer ownership of the retail food store or wholesale food concern notwithstanding the imposition of a civil penalty under this subsection.
(f) Fines for unauthorized acceptanceThe Secretary may impose a fine against any person not approved by the Secretary to accept and redeem food coupons who violates any provision of this chapter or a regulation issued under this chapter, including violations concerning the acceptance of food coupons. The amount of any such fine shall be established by the Secretary and may be assessed and collected in accordance with regulations issued under this chapter separately or in combination with any fiscal claim established by the Secretary. The Attorney General of the United States may institute judicial action in any court of competent jurisdiction against the person to collect the fine.
(g) Disqualification of retailers who are disqualified under WIC program(1) In generalThe Secretary shall issue regulations providing criteria for the disqualification under this chapter of an approved retail food store or a wholesale food concern that is disqualified from accepting benefits under the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children established under section 1786 of title 42.
(h) Flagrant violations(1) In generalThe Secretary, in consultation with the Inspector General of the Department of Agriculture, shall establish procedures under which the processing of program benefit redemptions for a retail food store or wholesale food concern may be immediately suspended pending administrative action to disqualify the retail food store or wholesale food concern.
(3) No liability for interestThe Secretary shall not be liable for the value of any interest on funds suspended under this subsection.
(Pub. L. 88–525, §12, Aug. 31, 1964, 78 Stat. 707; Pub. L. 95–113, title XIII, §1301, Sept. 29, 1977, 91 Stat. 974; Pub. L. 97–253, title I, §§175, 176(a), Sept. 8, 1982, 96 Stat. 781; Pub. L. 99–198, title XV, §1532(a), Dec. 23, 1985, 99 Stat. 1582; Pub. L. 100–435, title III, §344, Sept. 19, 1988, 102 Stat. 1664; Pub. L. 101–624, title XVII, §§1743–1745, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3795, 3796; Pub. L. 103–66, title XIII, §§13943, 13944, Aug. 10, 1993, 107 Stat. 677; Pub. L. 104–127, title IV, §401(a), Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 1026; Pub. L. 104–193, title VIII, §§841–843, Aug. 22, 1996, 110 Stat. 2331, 2332; Pub. L. 110–234, title IV, §4132, May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1114; Pub. L. 110–246, §4(a), title IV, §4132, June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 1875.)
2008—Pub. L. 110–246, §4132(1), substituted “Civil penalties” for “Civil money penalties” in section catchline.
Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 110–246, §4132(1), added subsec. (a) and struck out former subsec. (a) which read as follows: “Any approved retail food store or wholesale food concern may be disqualified for a specified period of time from further participation in the food stamp program, or subjected to a civil money penalty of up to $10,000 for each violation if the Secretary determines that its disqualification would cause hardship to food stamp households, on a finding, made as specified in the regulations, that such store or concern has violated any of the provisions of this chapter or the regulations issued pursuant to this chapter. Regulations issued pursuant to this chapter shall provide criteria for the finding of a violation and the suspension or disqualification of a retail food store or wholesale food concern on the basis of evidence that may include facts established through on-site investigations, inconsistent redemption data, or evidence obtained through a transaction report under an electronic benefit transfer system.”
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 110–246, §4132(2)(A), inserted heading and substituted “Subject to subsection (c), a disqualification” for “Disqualification” in introductory provisions.
Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 110–246, §4132(2)(B), substituted “not to exceed 5 years” for “of no less than six months nor more than five years”.
Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 110–246, §4132(2)(C), substituted “not to exceed 10 years” for “of no less than twelve months nor more than ten years”.
Subsec. (b)(3)(B). Pub. L. 110–246, §4132(2)(D), (E), in introductory provisions, inserted “or a finding of the unauthorized redemption, use, transfer, acquisition, alteration, or possession of EBT cards” after “wholesale food concern” and substituted “civil penalty” for “civil money penalty” and “civil penalties” for “civil money penalties”.
Subsec. (b)(3)(C). Pub. L. 110–246, §4132(2)(E), substituted “civil penalty” for “civil money penalty”.
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 110–246, §4132(3), inserted subsec. heading, added par. (1), designated existing provisions as par. (2), inserted par. heading, and substituted “civil penalty” for “civil money penalty” in text.
Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 110–246, §4132(4), inserted subsec. heading, added pars. (1) and (2), designated part of existing provisions as pars. (3) to (5), inserted par. headings, in par. (5), substituted “A store or concern described in paragraph (4)” for “Such store or concern”, and struck out after subsec. designation “As a condition of authorization to accept and redeem coupons, the Secretary may require a retail food store or wholesale food concern which has been disqualified or subjected to a civil penalty pursuant to subsection (a) of this section to furnish a bond to cover the value of coupons which such store or concern may in the future accept and redeem in violation of this chapter.”
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 110–246, §4132(5), substituted “civil penalty” for “civil money penalty” wherever appearing.
1996—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 104–193, §841, inserted at end “Regulations issued pursuant to this chapter shall provide criteria for the finding of a violation and the suspension or disqualification of a retail food store or wholesale food concern on the basis of evidence that may include facts established through on-site investigations, inconsistent redemption data, or evidence obtained through a transaction report under an electronic benefit transfer system.”
Subsec. (b)(3)(B). Pub. L. 104–127, §401(a), struck out “(including evidence that neither the ownership nor management of the store or food concern was aware of, approved, benefited from, or was involved in the conduct or approval of the violation)” after “substantial evidence” and substituted “, including evidence that—” and cls. (i) and (ii) for “; or”.
1993—Subsec. (b)(3)(B). Pub. L. 103–66, §13943, substituted “for violations occurring during a single investigation” for “during a 2-year period”.
Subsec. (b)(3)(C). Pub. L. 103–66, §13944, substituted “substance (as” for “substances (as the term is” and “for violations occurring during a single investigation” for “during a 2-year period”.
1990—Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 101–624, §1743, in subpar. (A) struck out “or” after “disqualification;”, in subpar. (B) inserted “for each violation (except that the amount of civil money penalties imposed during a 2-year period may not exceed $40,000)” after “$20,000” and “(including evidence that neither the ownership nor management of the store or food concern was aware of, approved, benefited from, or was involved in the conduct or approval of the violation)” after “evidence”, and substituted “; or” for period at end, and added subpar. (C).
1982—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 97–253, §175(1)–(3), redesignated first sentence as subsec. (a), substituted “$10,000” for “$5,000”, and struck out second sentence relating to disqualification.
Change of NameReferences to a “coupon”, “authorization card”, or other access device provided under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 considered to refer to a “benefit” under that Act, see section 4115(d) of Pub. L. 110–246, set out as a note under section 2012 of this title.
Effective Date of 1993 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 103–66 effective, and to be implemented beginning on, Oct. 1, 1993, see section 13971(a) of Pub. L. 103–66, set out as a note under section 2025 of this title.
Effective Date of 1990 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 101–624 effective and implemented first day of month beginning 120 days after publication of implementing regulations to be promulgated not later than Oct. 1, 1991, see section 1781(a) of Pub. L. 101–624, set out as a note under section 2012 of this title.
Effective Date of 1988 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 100–435 to be effective and implemented on Oct. 1, 1988, see section 701(a) of Pub. L. 100–435, set out as a note under section 2012 of this title.
Effective Date of 1982 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 97–253 effective Sept. 8, 1982, see section 193(a) of Pub. L. 97–253, set out as a note under section 2012 of this title.
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