870-J - Civil penalties.

§  870-j.  Civil  penalties. 1. Any person who knowingly and willfully  operates an amusement device, viewing stand or tent without any  of  the  following:    (a)  the  permit  required  by section eight hundred seventy-d of this  article; or    (b) the inspections required by section  eight  hundred  seventy-e  of  this article; or    (c)  the insurance or other security required by section eight hundred  seventy-f of this article shall be subject to a  civil  penalty  of  not  less than two thousand dollars, nor more than four thousand dollars, for  each day the violation continues.    2.  Any person who operates an amusement device, viewing stand or tent  without any of the following:    (a) the permit required by section eight  hundred  seventy-d  of  this  article; or    (b)  the  inspections  required  by section eight hundred seventy-e of  this article; or    (c) the insurance or other security required by section eight  hundred  seventy-f  of  this  article  shall be subject to a civil penalty of not  less than two thousand dollars, nor more than four thousand dollars.    3. The commissioner, in assessing penalties under subdivision  one  of  this section, shall give due consideration to the appropriateness of the  penalty  with  respect  to the size of the owner's or lessee's business,  the good faith of the owner  or  lessee  and  his  history  of  previous  violation.    4. Any operator of an amusement device who has been subject to a civil  penalty  imposed  pursuant  to this section relating to the operation of  such amusement device on two or more  occasions  within  any  five  year  period of time shall not operate the amusement device in this state, and  such  device  shall be taken out of service as soon as practicable. When  an  amusement  device  is  taken  out  of  service  pursuant   to   this  subdivision,  the  operator of such device shall sign an affidavit, in a  form approved by the commissioner, that the amusement device  was  taken  out  of  service  and  will remain out of service until such time as the  commissioner determines that  the  amusement  device  meets  all  safety  requirements  established  pursuant  to this article. Any operator of an  amusement device, which is sworn to have been taken out of service,  who  operates  or  allows  to  be  operated  such device, in violation of the  operator's affidavit, shall  be  subject  to  a  fine  of  ten  thousand  dollars.