(a) In addition to any penalty, fine, or other punishment applicable pursuant to Chapter 11 (commencing with Section 2100), the commission may assess civil sanctions upon any entity or person, other than a decisionmaker or employee of the commission, who violates, fails to comply with, or procures, aids, or abets any violation of, the ex parte communication requirements of this article or those adopted by the commission pursuant to this article. The civil sanctions may include civil penalties, adverse consequences in commission proceedings, or other appropriate commission orders directed at the entity, person, or both the entity and person, committing the violation.

(b) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), a civil penalty assessed shall not exceed fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) per violation. Each day of a continuing violation is a separate violation. If the violation consists of engaging in a communication that is prohibited by the ex parte communication requirements, each day that the violation is not disclosed to the commission and to parties of record in the formal proceeding in which the communication occurred shall constitute a separate violation.

(2) If the entity or person may obtain, by violating the ex parte communication requirements, financial benefits that exceed the maximum amount of civil penalty allowable pursuant to paragraph (1), the commission may impose a civil penalty up to the amount of those financial benefits.

(c) Civil penalties assessed pursuant to subdivision (b) upon entities whose rates are determined by the commission shall be in the form of credits to the customers of that entity. Civil penalties collected from other entities shall be deposited into the General Fund.

(d) In determining the appropriate civil sanctions, the commission shall consider the following factors:

(1) The severity of the violation.

(2) The conduct of the entity or person, including the level of experience of the entity or person in participating in commission proceedings and whether the entity or person knowingly violated the ex parte communication requirements.

(3) The financial resources of the entity or person.

(4) The totality of the circumstances in furtherance of the public interest.

(Added by Stats. 2016, Ch. 807, Sec. 7. (SB 215) Effective January 1, 2017.)