Section 10-15-6. Penalty; hearing; effect of judgment

   (a) If the administrator determines, after notice and hearing, that a business has violated Code Section 10-15-2, the administrator may issue an administrative order imposing a penalty of not more than $500.00 for each customer's record that contains personal information that is wrongfully disposed of or discarded; provided, however, in no event shall the total fine levied by the administrator exceed $10,000.00. It shall be an affirmative defense to the wrongful disposing of or discarding of a customer's record that contains personal information if the business can show that it used due diligence in its attempt to properly dispose of or discard such records.

(b) If the administrator determines, after notice and hearing, that a business has violated Code Section 10-15-3, the administrator may issue an administrative order imposing a penalty of not more than $250.00 for the first violation of Code Section 10-15-3, and a penalty of $1,000.00 for a second or subsequent violation of Code Section 10-15-3.

(c) The hearing and any administrative review in connection with alleged violations of Code Section 10-15-2 or 10-15-3 shall be conducted in accordance with the procedure for contested cases pursuant to Chapter 13 of Title 50, the "Georgia Administrative Procedure Act." Any person who has exhausted all administrative remedies available and who is aggrieved or adversely affected by a final order or action of the administrator shall have the right of judicial review in accordance with Chapter 13 of Title 50, the "Georgia Administrative Procedure Act."

(d) The administrator may file in the superior court of the county in which the person under an order resides, or if the person is a corporation, in the superior court of the county in which the corporation under an order maintains its principal place of business, a certified copy of or the final order of the administrator, whether or not the order was appealed. Thereafter the court shall render a judgment in accordance with the order and notify the parties. The judgment shall have the same effect as a judgment rendered by the court.

Code 1981, § 10-15-6, enacted by Ga. L. 2003, p. 339, § 2; Ga. L. 2005, p. 60, § 10/HB 95.