Section 44014 Of Article 2. Program Requirements From California Health And Safety Code >> Division 26. >> Part 5. >> Chapter 5. >> Article 2.
44014
. (a) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the
testing and repair portion of the program shall be conducted by smog
check stations licensed by the department, and by smog check
technicians who have qualified pursuant to this chapter.
(b) A smog check station may be licensed by the department as a
smog check test-only station and, when so licensed, need not comply
with the requirement for onsite availability of current service and
adjustment procedures specified in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b)
of Section 44030. A smog check technician employed by a smog check
test-only station shall be qualified in accordance with this section.
(c) (1) The department shall supply a network of referees. A
referee shall have no ownership interest in, or business or economic
interest with, a smog check station. Referees may issue repair cost
waivers, certificates of compliance or noncompliance, and hardship
extensions, in accordance with regulations adopted by the department,
and promote automotive training through community colleges and other
training institutions certified by the department pursuant to
Section 44030.5. Referees shall provide inspection services for
specially constructed vehicles pursuant to Section 44017.4 and
Section 9565 of the Vehicle Code and issue exhaust system
certificates of compliance in accordance with Section 27150.2 of the
Vehicle Code.
(2) The department may adopt regulations to establish
qualification standards and any special administrative, operational,
and licensure standards that the department determines to be
necessary for the provision of referee services.
(3) The department may adopt, by regulation, a process by which
vehicles that present prohibitive or unusual inspection circumstances
are inspected by referees, including, but not limited to, the
inspection of vehicles in which the manufacturer's physical or
operational design presents inspection incompatibilities, vehicles
equipped with emission control configurations that do not match
United States Environmental Protection Agency or state board
certified configurations, including direct import vehicles and
vehicles with engine changes, and vehicles equipped with retrofit
alternative fuel conversion kits.
(4) (A) A referee may charge a fee sufficient to cover the costs
of providing referee services for inspections of specially
constructed vehicles pursuant to Section 44017.4 and Section 9565 of
the Vehicle Code, inspections pursuant to Section 27150.2 of the
Vehicle Code, and other appropriate categories of referee services as
determined by the department. Requirements applicable to the fee,
including its amount, shall be established by the department by
regulation and the amount may be adjusted to reflect changes in the
Consumer Price Index, as published by the United States Bureau of
Labor Statistics. The fee may be collected by either a contracted
referee or by the department, if the department is providing the
referee service.
(B) If the fee is imposed and collected by a contracted referee,
the contracted referee shall deposit the fees collected from the
vehicle owner into a separate trust account that the referee shall
account for and manage in accordance with generally accepted
accounting practices.
(C) If the fee is imposed and collected by the department, the
fees shall be deposited into the Vehicle Inspection and Repair Fund.
(d) A smog check station may also be licensed as a repair-only
station, and if so licensed, may perform repairs to reduce excessive
emissions on vehicles which have failed the smog check test. Repair
procedures and equipment requirements shall be established by the
department. Technicians employed by a smog check repair-only station
shall be qualified in accordance with this section.
(e) Smog check technicians are qualified to test and repair only
those classes and categories of vehicles for which they have passed a
qualification test administered by the department. The department
shall provide for smog check technicians to be qualified for
different categories of motor vehicle inspection based on vehicle
classification and model-year.
(f) The consumer protection-oriented quality assurance portion of
the program, including the provision of referee services, may be
conducted by one or more private entities pursuant to contracts with
the department.