(a) Grounds for and length of suspension or revocation. The Director may suspend or revoke all licenses issued under this subtitle on the basis of a violation by a license holder or an owner or managerial employee of a license holder of any provision of this title or of a regulation adopted under the authority of this subtitle, or of any provision of other federal, state, or County law where the violation arises from the activities licensed under this subtitle. Except for an emergency suspension or a suspension under § 11-1-103(d), the suspension of a license may not exceed 30 days.
(b) Notice and hearing. Except for an emergency suspension or a suspension under § 11-1-103(d), the Director may not suspend or revoke a license without notice and an opportunity for a public hearing. The notice of the proposed suspension or revocation shall specify the reasons for the proposed suspension or revocation, and the public hearing may not be scheduled earlier than 15 days after service of the notice.
(c) Order. Within 15 days after the conclusion or waiver of the hearing, the Commission shall submit its written findings and recommendations to the Director. If suspension or revocation is warranted, the Director shall issue a written order to suspend or revoke the license specifying the reasons for the action. The order shall become effective on service.
(d) Stay. A license holder whose license has been suspended or revoked may request the Director to stay the suspension or revocation pending an appeal to the Board of Appeals. In determining whether to grant a stay of a suspension or revocation, the Director shall consider the nature of the violation, the likelihood of a successful appeal, and the hardship on the license holder.
(e) Emergency suspensions. The Director may order an emergency suspension of a license prior to a hearing if the Director determines that emergency suspension is necessary to protect the integrity of the commercial bingo games. An emergency suspension may not exceed 15 days. The written order implementing an emergency suspension shall become effective on service, shall specify the reasons for the emergency suspension, and shall notify the license holder of the date and time of the hearing at which permanent action will be considered.
(f) Admissions and amusement tax disputes. If suspension or revocation is based on a failure to file an admissions and amusement tax return or to make an admissions and amusement tax payment when due as required by the Tax-General Article, Title 4, of the State Code, and a dispute exists between the licensee or linked bingo game provider and the Comptroller of the State over the amount of tax to be paid, the Director may require that the licensee or linked bingo game provider pay into an escrow account maintained by the Director an amount equal to the tax estimated by the Comptroller to be due pending final adjudication of the dispute.
(1985 Code, Art. 16, § 2-325) (Bill No. 96-91; Bill No. 9-05)