Sec. 2310.003.  CIVIL PENALTY; INJUNCTION.  (a)  A person who violates Subchapter B or C or a rule adopted under Subchapter B or C is liable to the state for a civil penalty not to exceed $500 for each violation.  Each day a violation continues may be considered a separate violation for purposes of a civil penalty assessment.
(b)  On request of the executive director, the attorney general or the county attorney or district attorney of the county in which the violation is alleged to have occurred shall file suit to collect the penalty.
(c)  A civil penalty collected under this section shall be deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the general revenue fund.  A civil penalty recovered in a suit first instituted by one or more local governments under this section shall be equally divided between this state and each local government that first instituted the suit, with 50 percent of the recovery deposited to the credit of the general revenue fund and the other 50 percent distributed equally to each local government.
(d)  The executive director is entitled to appropriate injunctive relief to prevent or abate a violation of this chapter or a rule adopted under this chapter.  On request of the executive director, the attorney general or the county or district attorney of the county in which the alleged violation is threatened or is occurring shall file suit for the injunctive relief.  Venue is in the county in which the alleged violation is threatened or is occurring.
(e)  The department and the attorney general may each recover reasonable expenses incurred in obtaining injunctive relief and civil penalties under this section, including investigative costs, court costs, reasonable attorney's fees, witness fees, and deposition expenses.  The expenses recovered by the department may be appropriated only to the department for the administration and enforcement of this chapter.  The expenses recovered by the attorney general may be appropriated only to the attorney general.
Added by Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1219 (S.B. 2119), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2020.