(1) Existing law generally regulates persons engaged in certain businesses dealing with dead animals and pet food processing, including, among others, renderers, collection center operators, pet food processors, dead animal haulers, and transporters of inedible kitchen grease, as defined. These regulatory provisions are enforced by the Department of Food and Agriculture.
Existing law requires licensed renderers and collection centers to pay a specified license fee. Existing law operative until July 1, 2015, and repealed as of January 1, 2016, authorizes the department to assess an additional fee for purposes of administering the provisions regulating these renderers and collection centers. Existing law requires fees collected pursuant to these provisions to be deposited into the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund and
continuously appropriates the collected funds for the purposes described above.
This bill would extend the operation of these provisions until July 1, 2020, and would repeal them as of January 1, 2021. By extending the operation of provisions that require the collection and deposit of funds that are continuously appropriated, this bill would make an appropriation.
(2) Existing law authorizes the department to issue licenses to renderers and collection centers and to issue registration certifications to persons engaged in the transportation of inedible kitchen grease. Existing law authorizes the department to refuse to issue a license to a renderer or collection center, after notice and hearing, unless the applicant satisfies specified requirements. The department is also authorized to suspend or revoke a transporter’s registration upon making specified findings and to establish procedures for an
appeal of that suspension or revocation.
This bill would impose additional requirements upon an applicant for a rendering license and collection center license, and for registration as a certificated transporter. The bill would delete the requirement for a notice and hearing before refusing to issue a license and would instead authorize a person to whom the department refuses to issue a rendering or collection center license to appeal to the department, pursuant to a specified procedure. The bill would authorize the department to suspend or revoke a renderer license or collection center license if the department makes specified findings and would establish a procedure for appealing the suspension or revocation of a license. The bill would require the department to adopt regulations that specify the maximum time period for which a refusal of registration as a certificated transporter, and a suspension or denial of that registration, may be imposed.
(3) Existing law requires registered transporters of inedible kitchen grease to pay a specified registration fee. Existing law operative until July 1, 2015, and repealed as of January 1, 2016, authorizes the department to assess an additional fee for purposes of administering the provisions regulating these transporters. Existing law exempts from 75% of the additional fee a registered transporter who transports inedible kitchen grease for his or her own personal, noncommercial use as an alternative fuel, subject to specified requirements. A violation of these provisions is a crime. Existing law requires fees collected pursuant to these provisions to be deposited into the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund and continuously appropriates the collected funds for the purposes described above.
This bill would extend the operation of these provisions until July 1, 2020, and would repeal them on January 1,
2021. By extending the operation of provisions that require the collection and deposit of funds that are continuously appropriated, this bill would make an appropriation. By extending the operation of an existing crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
(4) Existing law prohibits a registered transporter or any other person from taking possession of inedible kitchen grease from an unregistered transporter, or knowingly taking possession of stolen inedible kitchen grease. A violation of the provisions regulating renderers is a crime.
This bill would additionally prohibit taking possession of inedible kitchen grease from an unlicensed collection center or an unlicensed renderer. By expanding the scope of an existing crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
(5) Existing law requires every licensed
renderer to record and keep for 2 years records containing specified information, including the name, address, and registration number of every transporter of inedible kitchen grease who has delivered to the renderer, the total amount of inedible kitchen grease purchased in each transaction, and the date of each transaction. Existing law provides that any licensed renderer who fails to keep specified records, and any licensed renderer or registered transporter who refuses, upon demand of any peace officer, to exhibit any required records, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by: (1) for a first offense, a fine of $500, imprisonment in a county jail, or both the fine and imprisonment; (2) for a 2nd offense within a period of one year, by a fine of not less than $1,000, imprisonment in a county jail, or both the fine and imprisonment; (3) for a 3rd or any subsequent offense within a period of 2 years, by a fine of not less than $2,000, imprisonment in a county jail, or both the fine and imprisonment.
This bill would increase the amount of these fines to $1,000, $5,000, and $10,000, respectively. The bill would apply these provisions to licensed collection centers, as defined. The bill would additionally allow for the inspection of any required records by an authorized employee of the Department of the California Highway Patrol or the Department of Food and Agriculture. By expanding the scope of crimes, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would make conforming and clarifying changes to other provisions of existing law to remove a conflict in those provisions.
(6) Existing law prohibits any person from engaging in the transportation of inedible kitchen grease without being registered with the Department of Food and Agriculture and without being in possession of a valid registration certificate issued by the department. Existing law prohibits a licensed renderer, registered
transporter, or any other person from taking possession of inedible kitchen grease from an unregistered transporter, or knowingly taking possession of stolen inedible kitchen grease. Violation of these provisions is punishable by a fine, imprisonment in a county jail, or both the fine and imprisonment, as specified.
This bill would additionally require possession of a manifest, as defined, for the inedible kitchen grease being transported. The bill would additionally prohibit a renderer, registered transporter, or any other person from taking possession of inedible kitchen grease from an unlicensed renderer or collection center. By expanding the scope of existing crimes, this bill would impose state-mandated local programs.
This bill would authorize a peace officer to remove a vehicle, within the territorial limits in which the officer may act, if the vehicle is involved in the theft or movement of stolen inedible kitchen
grease. The bill would authorize the peace officer to seize and impound the vehicle, after citing or arresting the responsible person, for up to 15 days, as specified.
This bill would require each vehicle transporting inedible kitchen grease to display both a specified decal and certain information on the front doors of the vehicle, as specified. By creating a new crime, this bill imposes a state-mandated local program. The bill would specify that a violation of these provisions is a correctable offense.
(7) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.