(a) The board, or any licensed respiratory care practitioner, enforcement staff, or investigative unit appointed by the board, may inspect, or require reports from, a general or specialized hospital or any other facility or corporation providing respiratory care, treatment, or services and the respiratory care staff thereof, with respect to the respiratory care, treatment, services, or facilities provided therein, or the employment of staff providing the respiratory care, treatment, or services, and may inspect and copy respiratory care patient records with respect to that care, treatment, services, or facilities. The authority to make inspections and to require reports as provided by this section is subject to the restrictions against disclosure contained in Section 2225. Those persons may also inspect and copy employment records relevant to an official investigation provided that the written request to inspect the records specifies the portion of the records to be inspected.

(b) The failure of an employer to provide documents as required by this section is punishable by an administrative fine not to exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000) per violation. This penalty shall be in addition to, and not in lieu of, any other civil or criminal remedies.

(Amended by Stats. 2002, Ch. 1150, Sec. 24. Effective January 1, 2003.)