J. Penalties

The Commission may impose fines and other penalties on billing telephone companies, billing agents, and vendors that fail to comply with these rules. Nothing in these rules, however, precludes district attorneys, the Attorney General, or other law enforcement agencies from obtaining injunctive relief, civil penalties, and other relief permitted by law against a billing telephone company, billing agent, or vendor that engages in business practices that violate these rules. The Commission will make relevant complaint data and investigation reports available the Attorney General and to district attorneys who are investigating possible consumer fraud.

[Comments:

(1) On the Commission's authority to impose penalties on billing agents and vendors, see §§ 2889.9- 2890.

(2) Government Code § 26509 requires the Commission to give district attorneys access to complaints against, and the Commission's investigation of, a person being investigated by a district attorney regarding possible consumer fraud.]

(END OF APPENDIX A)