Sec. 14.258.  STAY OF PENALTY; SUIT BY ATTORNEY GENERAL.  (a)  The enforcement of the penalty may be stayed during the time the order is under judicial review if the person pays the penalty to the clerk of the court or files a supersedeas bond with the court in the amount of the penalty.  A person who cannot afford to pay the penalty or file the bond may stay the enforcement by filing an affidavit in the manner required by the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure for a party who cannot afford to file security for costs, subject to the right of the commissioner to contest the affidavit as provided by those rules.
(b)  The attorney general may sue to collect the penalty.
(c)  A court that sustains the occurrence of a violation may uphold or reduce the amount of the administrative penalty and order the person to pay that amount.
(d)  A court that does not sustain the occurrence of a violation shall order that no penalty is owed.
(e)  If a person has paid a penalty and a court in a final judgment reduces or does not uphold the amount, the court shall order that the appropriate amount plus accrued interest be remitted to the person.  The interest rate is the rate authorized by Chapter 304, and interest shall be paid for the period beginning on the date the penalty was paid and ending on the date the penalty is remitted.
Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1008, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.
Amended by: 
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 1018 (H.B. 955), Sec. 4.04, eff. September 1, 2005.