(a) No person shall discriminate or retaliate in any manner against any service recipient or relative or guardian of a service recipient, any employee of a services provider, or any other person because of the making of a complaint or the providing of information in good faith to the state ombudsman or community ombudsman. No person shall willfully interfere with the state ombudsman or community ombudsman in the performance of his or her official duties.

(b) A member of a regional board or community service board who violates subsection (a) of this Code section shall be subject to permanent removal from such board by the director of the division.

(c) A services provider which violates subsection (a) of this Code section shall be subject to one or more of the following sanctions which may be imposed by the director of the division:

(1) The termination of any contract for which state funds are received for the provision of disability services if such contract was executed on or after July 1, 2000;

(2) The payment of a civil penalty not to exceed $5,000.00 for each violation; or

(3) Having to suspend without pay for a period of at least two months or terminate any employee of such provider determined to have committed the violation.

(d) An action against a member of a regional board, community service board, or services provider under this Code section shall be a contested case within Article 1 of Chapter 13 of Title 50, relating to administrative procedure.