45-379.

Administrative fine; procedure; lien.

(1) The director may, following a hearing under the Administrative Procedure Act, impose an administrative fine against any officer, director, shareholder, partner, or member of a licensee, if the director finds the licensee or any such person participated in or had knowledge of any act prohibited by the Nebraska Installment Loan and Sales Act or otherwise violated the act. Such administrative fine shall be in addition to or separate from any fine imposed against a licensee pursuant to section 45-346.

(2) If the director finds, after notice and hearing in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, that any person has knowingly committed any act prohibited by section 45-372 or otherwise violated the Nebraska Installment Loan and Sales Act or any rule and regulation or order adopted thereunder, the director may order such person to pay (a) an administrative fine of not more than five thousand dollars for each separate violation and (b) the costs of investigation.

(3) If a person fails to pay an administrative fine and the costs of investigation ordered pursuant to this section, a lien in the amount of such fine and costs may be imposed upon all assets and property of such person in this state and may be recovered in a civil action by the director. The lien shall attach to the real property of such person when notice of the lien is filed and indexed against the real property in the office of the register of deeds in the county where the real property is located. The lien shall attach to any other property of such person when notice of the lien is filed against the property in the manner prescribed by law. Failure of the person to pay such fine and costs shall constitute a separate violation of the act.

(4) The department shall remit fines collected under this section to the State Treasurer for distribution in accordance with Article VII, section 5, of the Constitution of Nebraska.