Section § 115215

Explanation

This law outlines penalties for the mishandling of radioactive materials in California. If someone breaks these rules, they can face up to a $1,000 fine and/or six months in jail. If someone knowingly disposes of or transports radioactive materials without the proper license and it poses a serious risk to public health or safety, the penalties increase. These more severe punishments can include up to $100,000 in fines and imprisonment for up to three years. If such actions cause serious injury or a high risk of death, fines can go up to $250,000 per day and jail time can range from three to seven years. However, radioactive materials used in medical treatments are generally exempt. Violations related to mammography specifically can lead to a $5,000 fine per day and up to 180 days in jail.

(a)CA Health & Safety Code § 115215(a) Any person who violates this chapter, or rules, regulations, or orders in effect adopted pursuant to this chapter, is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000) or by imprisonment in a county jail for a period not to exceed 180 days, or by both the fine and imprisonment.
(b)CA Health & Safety Code § 115215(b) Any person who knowingly disposes or causes the disposal of any radioactive material regulated by this chapter, or who reasonably should have known that the person was disposing or causing the disposal of the material, at a facility within the state that does not have a license for disposal issued by the department pursuant to this chapter, or at any point in the state that is not authorized according to this chapter, or by any other local, state, or federal agency having authority over radioactive materials, and is in violation of this chapter, or any regulation or order adopted pursuant to this chapter, is guilty of a public offense, and upon conviction, may be punished as follows:
(1)CA Health & Safety Code § 115215(b)(1) If the disposal is found to have caused a substantial danger to the public health or safety, the person may be punished by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year or by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code for 16, 24, or 36 months, except as otherwise provided in paragraph (2). The court may also impose, upon a person convicted of violating this subdivision, a fine of not more than one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for each day of violation, except as otherwise provided in paragraph (2).
(2)CA Health & Safety Code § 115215(b)(2) If the act that violated this subdivision caused great bodily injury or caused a substantial probability that death could result, the person convicted may be punished by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code for three, five, or seven years and may be fined not more than two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) for each day of violation.
(c)CA Health & Safety Code § 115215(c) Any person who knowingly transports or causes the transportation of any radioactive material regulated by this chapter, or who reasonably should have known that the person was causing the transportation of the material, to a facility in the state that does not have a license from the department issued pursuant to this chapter, to any point in the state that is not authorized by this chapter, or to any point in the state that is not authorized by any other local, state, or federal agency having authority over radioactive materials, and is in violation of this chapter, or any regulation or order adopted pursuant to this chapter, is guilty of a public offense and, upon conviction, may be punished as follows:
(1)CA Health & Safety Code § 115215(c)(1) If the transportation is found to have caused a substantial danger to the public health or safety, the person may be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than one year or by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code for 16, 24, or 36 months, except as otherwise provided in paragraph (2). The court may also impose, upon a person convicted of violating this subdivision, a fine of not more than one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for each day of violation, except as provided by paragraph (2).
(2)CA Health & Safety Code § 115215(c)(2) If the transportation that violated this subdivision caused great bodily injury or caused a substantial probability that death could result, the person convicted may be punished by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code for three, five, or seven years and may be fined not more than two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) for each day of violation.
(d)CA Health & Safety Code § 115215(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, radioactive materials used in medical treatment or result from medical treatment, that are disposed, stored, handled, or transported in a manner authorized pursuant to this chapter, are exempt from subdivisions (b) and (c).
(e)CA Health & Safety Code § 115215(e) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), any person who violates any provision of this chapter relating to mammography or regulations adopted pursuant to those provisions is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000), per day of offense, or by imprisonment in the county jail not to exceed 180 days, or both the fine and imprisonment.

Section § 115220

Explanation

If someone either deliberately or by being extremely careless breaks a rule in this chapter, or ignores a stop order from the department, and this endangers others' health, they may have to pay a fine of up to $5,000 each day for every violation.

This fine is in addition to any other legal actions, which can include both civil and criminal consequences.

(a)CA Health & Safety Code § 115220(a)  Any person who intentionally or through gross negligence violates any provision of this chapter, or any rule or regulation adopted pursuant thereto, or who fails or refuses to comply with a cease and desist order or other order of the department issued thereunder, and that action causes a substantial danger to the health of others, shall be liable to the department for a civil penalty not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000) per day, per offense.
(b)CA Health & Safety Code § 115220(b)  The remedies under this section are in addition to, and do not supersede or limit, any and all other remedies, civil or criminal.