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AB-1274 Smog check: exemption.(2017-2018)



Current Version: 10/10/17 - Chaptered

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AB1274:v93#DOCUMENT

Assembly Bill No. 1274
CHAPTER 633

An act to amend Sections 44011, 44060, 44060.5, and 44091.1 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to vehicular air pollution, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately.

[ Approved by Governor  October 10, 2017. Filed with Secretary of State  October 10, 2017. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 1274, O’Donnell. Smog check: exemption.
Existing law establishes a motor vehicle inspection and maintenance (smog check) program that is administered by the Department of Consumer Affairs. The smog check program requires inspection of motor vehicles upon initial registration, biennially upon renewal of registration, upon transfer of ownership, and in certain other circumstances. Existing law, except as provided, exempts motor vehicles that are 6 or less model-years old from being inspected biennially upon renewal of registration.
Existing law establishes the Carl Moyer Memorial Air Quality Standards Attainment Program, which is administered by the State Air Resources Board. The program authorizes the state board to provide grants to offset the incremental cost of eligible projects that reduce emissions from covered vehicular sources. The program also authorizes funding for a fueling infrastructure demonstration program and for technology development efforts that are expected to result in commercially available technologies in the near-term that would improve the ability of the program to achieve its goals.
This bill would, beginning January 1, 2019, and except as provided, exempt motor vehicles that are 8 or less model-years old from being inspected biennially upon renewal of registration. The bill would assess an annual smog abatement fee of $25 on motor vehicles that are 7 or 8 model-years old. The bill would require a certain amount of the fee to be deposited into the Air Pollution Control Fund and to be available for expenditure, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to fund the Carl Moyer Memorial Air Quality Standards Attainment Program. The bill would require the balance of the fee to be deposited into the Vehicle Inspection and Repair Fund.
This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Vote: 2/3   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 44011 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

44011.
 (a) All motor vehicles powered by internal combustion engines that are registered within an area designated for program coverage shall be required biennially to obtain a certificate of compliance or noncompliance, except for the following:
(1) All motorcycles until the department, pursuant to Section 44012, implements test procedures applicable to motorcycles.
(2) All motor vehicles that have been issued a certificate of compliance or noncompliance or a repair cost waiver upon a change of ownership or initial registration in this state during the preceding six months.
(3) All motor vehicles manufactured prior to the 1976 model-year.
(4) (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), all motor vehicles four or less model-years old.
(B) (i) Beginning January 1, 2005, all motor vehicles six or less model-years old, unless the state board finds that providing an exception for these vehicles will prohibit the state from meeting the requirements of Section 176(c) of the federal Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 7401 et seq.) or the state’s commitments with respect to the state implementation plan required by the federal Clean Air Act.
(ii) Notwithstanding clause (i), beginning January 1, 2019, all motor vehicles eight or less model-years old, unless the state board finds that providing an exception for these vehicles will prohibit the state from meeting the requirements of Section 176(c) of the federal Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 7401 et seq.) or the state’s commitments with respect to the state implementation plan required by the federal Clean Air Act.
(iii) Clause (ii) does not apply to a motor vehicle that is seven model-years old in year 2018 for which a certificate of compliance has been obtained.
(C) All motor vehicles excepted by this paragraph shall be subject to testing and to certification requirements as determined by the department, if any of the following apply:
(i) The department determines through remote sensing activities or other means that there is a substantial probability that the vehicle has a tampered emission control system or would fail for other cause a smog check test as specified in Section 44012.
(ii) The vehicle was previously registered outside this state and is undergoing initial registration in this state.
(iii) The vehicle is being registered as a specially constructed vehicle.
(iv) The vehicle has been selected for testing pursuant to Section 44014.7 or any other provision of this chapter authorizing out-of-cycle testing.
(D) This paragraph does not apply to diesel-powered vehicles.
(5) In addition to the vehicles exempted pursuant to paragraph (4), any motor vehicle or class of motor vehicles exempted pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 44024.5. It is the intent of the Legislature that the department, pursuant to the authority granted by this paragraph, exempt at least 15 percent of the lowest emitting motor vehicles from the biennial smog check inspection.
(6) All motor vehicles that the department determines would present prohibitive inspection or repair problems.
(7) Any vehicle registered to the owner of a fleet licensed pursuant to Section 44020 if the vehicle is garaged exclusively outside the area included in program coverage, and is not primarily operated inside the area included in program coverage.
(8) (A) All diesel-powered vehicles manufactured prior to the 1998 model-year.
(B) All diesel-powered vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 8,501 to 10,000 pounds, inclusive, until the department, in consultation with the state board, pursuant to Section 44012, implements test procedures applicable to these vehicles.
(C) All diesel-powered vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating from 10,001 pounds to 14,000 pounds, inclusive, until the state board and the Department of Motor Vehicles determine the best method for identifying these vehicles, and until the department, in consultation with the state board, pursuant to Section 44012, implements test procedures applicable to these vehicles.
(D) All diesel-powered vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 14,001 pounds or greater.
(b) Vehicles designated for program coverage in enhanced areas shall be required to obtain inspections from appropriate smog check stations operating in enhanced areas.
(c) For purposes of subdivision (a), a collector motor vehicle, as defined in Section 259 of the Vehicle Code, is exempt from those portions of the test required by subdivision (f) of Section 44012 if the collector motor vehicle meets all of the following criteria:
(1) Submission of proof that the motor vehicle is insured as a collector motor vehicle, as shall be required by regulation of the bureau.
(2) The motor vehicle is at least 35 model-years old.
(3) The motor vehicle complies with the exhaust emissions standards for that motor vehicle’s class and model-year as prescribed by the department, and the motor vehicle passes a functional inspection of the fuel cap and a visual inspection for liquid fuel leaks.

SEC. 2.

 Section 44060 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

44060.
 (a) The department shall prescribe the form of the certificate of compliance or noncompliance, repair cost waivers, and economic hardship extensions.
(b) The certificates, repair cost waivers, and economic hardship extensions shall be in the form of an electronic entry filed with the department, the Department of Motor Vehicles, and any other person designated by the department. The department shall ensure that the motor vehicle owner or operator is provided with a written report, signed by the licensed technician who performed the inspection, of any test performed by a smog check station, including a pass or fail indication, and written confirmation of the issuance of the certificate.
(c) (1) The department shall charge a fee to a smog check station, including a test-only station, and a station providing referee functions, for a motor vehicle inspected at that station that meets the requirements of this chapter and is issued a certificate of compliance, a certificate of noncompliance, repair cost waiver, or economic hardship extension.
(2) The fee charged pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be calculated to recover the costs of the department and any other state agency directly involved in the implementation, administration, or enforcement of the motor vehicle inspection and maintenance program, and shall not exceed the amount reasonably necessary to fund the operation of the program, including all responsibilities, requirements, and obligations imposed upon the department or any of those state agencies by this chapter, that are not otherwise recoverable by fees received pursuant to Section 44034.
(3) Except for adjustments to reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index, as published by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the fee for each certificate, waiver, or extension shall not exceed seven dollars ($7).
(4) Fees collected by the department pursuant to this subdivision shall be deposited in the Vehicle Inspection and Repair Fund. It is the intent of the Legislature that a prudent surplus be maintained in the Vehicle Inspection and Repair Fund.
(d) (1) (A) Motor vehicles exempted under paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 44011 that are six or less model-years old shall be subject to an annual smog abatement fee of twelve dollars ($12).
(B) Motor vehicles exempted under paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 44011 that are seven or eight model-years old shall be subject to an annual smog abatement fee of twenty-five dollars ($25).
(C) The department may also, by regulation, subject motor vehicles that are exempted under paragraph (5) of subdivision (a) of Section 44011 to the twelve dollar ($12) annual smog abatement fee. Payment of the annual smog abatement fee shall be made to the Department of Motor Vehicles at the time of registration of the motor vehicle.
(2) Except as provided in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of, and subdivision (b) of, Section 44091.1, fees collected pursuant to this subdivision shall be deposited on a daily basis into the Vehicle Inspection and Repair Fund.
(e) The sale or transfer of the certificate, waiver, or extension by a licensed smog check station or test-only station to any other licensed smog check station or to any other person, and the purchase or acquisition of the certificate, waiver, or extension, by any person, other than from the department, the department’s designee, or pursuant to a vehicle’s inspection or repair conducted pursuant to this chapter, is prohibited.
(f) Following implementation of the electronic entry certificate under subdivision (b), the department may require the modification of the analyzers and other equipment required at smog check stations to prevent the entry of a certificate that has not been issued or validated through prepayment of the fee authorized by subdivision (c).
(g) The fee charged by licensed smog check stations to consumers for a certificate, waiver, or extension shall be the same amount that is charged by the department.

SEC. 3.

 Section 44060.5 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

44060.5.
 (a) Beginning July 1, 2008, the smog abatement fee described in subparagraph (A) or (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 44060 shall be increased by eight dollars ($8).
(b) Revenues generated by the increase described in this section shall be distributed as follows:
(1) The revenues generated by four dollars ($4) shall be deposited in the Air Quality Improvement Fund created by Section 44274.5.
(2) The revenues generated by four dollars ($4) shall be deposited in the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Fund created by Section 44273.
(c) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2024, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2024, deletes or extends that date.

SEC. 4.

 Section 44091.1 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

44091.1.
 (a) Revenue from the fee specified in subparagraph (A) or (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 44060 shall be allocated as follows:
(1) The revenues generated by six dollars ($6) of the fee shall be deposited in the Air Pollution Control Fund, and shall be available for expenditure, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to fund the Carl Moyer Memorial Air Quality Standards Attainment Program (Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 44275)) to the extent that the state board or a participating district determines the moneys are expended to mitigate or remediate the harm caused by the type of motor vehicle on which the fee is imposed.
(2) (A) Except as provided for in subparagraph (B), of the revenue generated by the remaining six dollars ($6) of the fee, four dollars ($4) shall be deposited in the account created by Section 44091, while the revenue generated by the remaining two dollars ($2) shall be deposited in the Vehicle Inspection and Repair Fund and may be expended, upon appropriation, for, among other things, the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project established as a part of the Air Quality Improvement Program pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 44274) of Chapter 8.9.
(B) All revenue generated by the remaining six dollars ($6) of the fee described in this paragraph that is imposed at first registration of a motor vehicle and that is exempted under paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 44011 shall be deposited in the account created by Section 44091.
(b) (1) Twenty-one dollars ($21) of the amount of the fee specified in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 44060 shall be deposited into the Air Pollution Control Fund and shall be available for expenditure, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to fund the Carl Moyer Memorial Air Quality Standards Attainment Program (Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 44275)).
(2) Four dollars ($4) of the amount of the fee specified in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 44060 shall be deposited into the Vehicle Inspection and Repair Fund to offset the reduction in revenues collected pursuant to Section 44060 caused by the exemption provided pursuant to Section 44011 for vehicles that are seven- and eight-model years old.

SEC. 5.

 This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the California Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:
To ensure sufficient moneys are provided to the Air Pollution Control Fund, administered by the State Air Resources Board, to fund the Carl Moyer Memorial Air Quality Standards Attainment Program to improve air quality in the state, it is necessary for this measure to take effect immediately.