The Legislature finds and declares that the current civil penalty structure for facilities licensed by the State Department of Social Services is insufficient to ensure the health and safety of those in care. It is the intent of the Legislature to comprehensively increase these penalties for all facilities in subsequent legislation, with particular emphasis on penalties for violations that result in serious injury or death.

(Added by Stats. 2014, Ch. 29, Sec. 13. (SB 855) Effective June 20, 2014.)