(a) It shall be the duty of the commissioner to enforce the requirements of law relative to cotton gins and to see that all rules and regulations relative to cotton gins that may be established from time to time by him and approved by the State Board of Agriculture and Industries are observed.
(b) The said commissioner shall have power to refuse to issue a permit and to revoke at any time the permit that has been issued to any cotton ginner who fails or refuses to comply with the law or with the rules and regulations of the State Board of Agriculture and Industries.
(c) Any cotton ginner to whom such commissioner refuses to issue a permit or whose permit has been revoked may appeal to the State Board of Agriculture and Industries, which shall consider the matter with as little delay as possible and make such order as may be justified by the facts.
(d) The action of the board in refusing to grant or in revoking any permit may be reviewed by the circuit court of the county in which the cotton gin is located, upon a complaint being filed in said circuit court, accompanied by a bond to be approved by the register or clerk, within 15 days after notice to the applicant or permittee of the board's decision. Such complaint shall be styled in the name of the applicant or permittee as plaintiff against the commissioner, as defendant, and shall set forth the action complained of and request its reversal. It shall be the duty of the commissioner to serve an answer within 30 days after said complaint is served upon him. The case shall be heard de novo by the court and it shall be determined from the evidence whether the refusal or revocation of the permit is or is not justified, and judgment shall be accordingly entered, subject to the right of appeal, which shall lie as in other civil cases, which decision shall be binding upon the parties.
(e) Appeal rights provided in this section shall not suspend the action of the commissioner in the revocation or refusal of a permit.
Last modified: May 3, 2021