Conviction; punishment.

§ 133-25. Conviction; punishment. (a) Upon conviction of violating G.S. 133-24, any person shall be punished as a Class H felon. The court may also impose a fine of up to one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) on any convicted individual and a fine of up to one million dollars ($1,000,000) on any convicted corporation. Any fine imposed pursuant to this section shall not be deductible on a State income tax return for any purpose. (b) For a period of up to three years from the date of conviction, said period to be determined in the discretion of the court, no person shall be eligible to enter into a contract with any governmental agency, either directly as a contractor or indirectly as a subcontractor, if that person has been convicted of violating G.S. 133-24. (c) In the event an individual is convicted of violating G.S. 133-24, the court may, in its discretion, for a period of up to three years from the date of conviction, provide that the individual shall not be employed by a corporation as an officer, director, employee or agent, if that corporation engages in public construction or repair contracts with a governmental agency, either directly as a contractor or indirectly as a subcontractor. (d) The court shall also have authority to direct the appropriate contractor's licensing board to suspend the license of any contractor convicted of violating G.S. 133-24 for a period of up to three years from the date of conviction.