38-2878.

Delegated dispensing permit; orders authorized; civil penalty.

(1) Upon the completion of any hearing pursuant to section 38-2877, the director shall have the authority through entry of an order to exercise in his or her discretion any or all of the following powers:

(a) Issue a censure against the permittee;

(b) Place the permittee on probation;

(c) Place a limitation or limitations on the permit and upon the right of the permittee to dispense drugs or devices to the extent, scope, or type of operation, for such time, and under such conditions as the director finds necessary and proper. The director shall consult with the board in all instances prior to issuing an order of limitation;

(d) Impose a civil penalty not to exceed twenty thousand dollars. The amount of the civil penalty, if any, shall be based on the severity of the violation. If any violation is a repeated or continuing violation, each violation or each day a violation continues shall constitute a separate violation for the purpose of computing the applicable civil penalty, if any;

(e) Enter an order of suspension of the permit;

(f) Enter an order of revocation of the permit; and

(g) Dismiss the action.

(2) The permittee shall not dispense drugs or devices after a permit is revoked or during the time for which the permit is suspended. If a permit is suspended, the suspension shall be for a definite period of time to be fixed by the director. The permit shall be automatically reinstated upon the expiration of such period if the current renewal fees have been paid. If the permit is revoked, the revocation shall be permanent, except that at any time after the expiration of two years, application may be made for reinstatement by any permittee whose permit has been revoked as provided in section 38-148.

(3) Any civil penalty assessed and unpaid under this section shall constitute a debt to the State of Nebraska which may be collected in the manner of a lien foreclosure or sued for and recovered in a proper form of action in the name of the state in the district court of the county in which the violator resides or owns property. The department shall remit any collected civil penalty to the State Treasurer, within thirty days after receipt, for distribution in accordance with Article VII, section 5, of the Constitution of Nebraska.