(a) Any claim submitted by a person other than a registered owner or lessee shall be filed within 30 days from the effective date of this section.
(b) If a claimant other than the registered owner or lessee files a claim, or has filed a claim prior to the effective date of this section, for refund in a manner and form verified by the department, the department shall mail a notification to the registered owner or lessee informing that person that he or she is eligible for a refund of the smog impact fee and that a competing claim for that fee has been filed. The registered owner or lessee shall have three years from the effective date of this section to inform the department that the registered owner or lessee opposes payment of the smog impact fee refund to the competing claimant. In that case, the refund shall be made to the registered owner or lessee and notice of that action shall be sent to the competing claimant. If the registered owner or lessee does not notify the department within the three-year period that he or she opposes the payment, the department shall pay the refund to the competing claimant.
(c) If any refund paid by the department under this section is disputed, any party that filed a claim may commence an action in small claims court. The small claims court action may not be filed if three years or more have elapsed from the date the department mailed the refund to either party.
(d) The State of California, its departments and agencies, and their officers or employees shall not be a party to a lawsuit between competing claimants relating to smog impact fee refunds.
(Added by Stats. 2000, Ch. 31, Sec. 5. Effective June 8, 2000.)