Scenario A: Last year, the owner of a new restaurant in California had trouble getting customers to comply with the state's smoking ban. The fine for a first violation is $100. A second violation carries a fine of $200, and third and subsequent violations cost $ 500 each. After a third violation within one year, a representative of California's Occupational Safety and Health Administration is required to investigate complaints . Employers may be cited with fines up to $ 7,000 for violations classified as general or serious and fines up to $70,000 for violations classified as willfully serious . In the ban's first year in operation , the bar owner had four violations , plus a violation for a serious offense that may or may not have been willful. 1. What are the minimum and maximum amounts that the owner had to pay in fines ? 2. What effect do these fines have on businesses and consumers ? 3. How do these government actions protect consumers ?