(a) A person who violates a provision of this chapter, or who fails to perform an act required of the person by this chapter, commits an offense. A person commits a separate offense each day or portion of a day during which a violation is committed, permitted, or continued.
(b) Criminal penalties.
(1) An offense under this chapter is punishable by a fine not to exceed $2,000.
(2) An offense under this chapter is punishable by a fine of not less than $500 for a first conviction of a violation of Section 48B-6.
(3) The minimum fine established in Subsection (b)(2) will be doubled for the second conviction of the same offense within any 24-month period and trebled for the third and subsequent convictions of the same offense within any 24-month period. At no time may the minimum fine exceed the maximum fine established in Subsection (b)(1).
(c) The culpable mental state required for the commission of an offense under this chapter is governed by Section 1-5.1 of this code.
(d) As an alternative to imposing the criminal penalty prescribed in Subsection (b), the city may impose administrative penalties, fees, and court costs in accordance with Article IV-b of Chapter 27 of this code, as authorized by Section 54.044 of the Texas Local Government Code, for an offense under this chapter. The alternative administrative penalty range for an offense is the same as is prescribed for a criminal offense in Subsection (b).
(e) The penalties provided for in Subsections (b) and (d) are in addition to any other enforcement remedies that the city may have under city ordinances and state law. (Ord. 27248)