Section 6618. Suits to recover assessments

(a) An assessment corporation
  may maintain a civil action against any member or former member of  such
  corporation   for  the  unpaid  amount  of  any  extraordinary  or  post
  assessment lawfully levied against him, or against any former member  of
  such  corporation for the earned portion of any advance assessment which
  he has failed to pay.
    (b) In any such action the corporation may  recover,  in  addition  to
  such  sum  or sums, legal interest thereon and the amount of any penalty
  imposed  by  such  corporation's  by-laws  for  failure  to   pay   such
  assessments;  but  no  such corporation shall provide in its by-laws for
  such a penalty in excess of fifty percent of such an assessment.