(a) Not later than July 1, 2017, the Department of the California Highway Patrol shall implement a program to conduct safety inspections of modified limousine terminals that are operated by passenger stage corporations pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 1031) of Chapter 5 of Part 1 of Division 1 of the Public Utilities Code or by charter-party carriers of passengers pursuant to the Passenger Charter-party Carriers’ Act (Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 5351) of Division 2 of the Public Utilities Code).
(b) (1) The inspection program shall include, but is not limited to, the safe operation of the vehicle, the installation of safety equipment, the retention of maintenance logs, accident reports, and records of driver discipline, compliance with federal and state motor vehicle safety standards, the examination of a preventative maintenance program, and, if ownership of the modified limousine has been transferred, the transmission of relevant safety and maintenance information of the limousine.
(2) Pursuant to the safety inspection program, the department shall conduct an inspection of each terminal of a charter-party carrier of passengers and passenger stage corporation that operates modified limousines at least once every 13 months.
(3) The department shall adopt emergency regulations for purposes of this subdivision. The adoption by the department of regulations implementing this section shall be deemed to be an emergency and necessary to avoid serious harm to the public peace, health, safety, or general welfare for purposes of Sections 11346.1 and 11349.6 of the Government Code, and the department is hereby exempted from the requirement that it describe facts showing the need for immediate action to the Office of Administrative Law. The emergency regulations shall remain in effect for no more than one year, by which time final regulations shall be adopted.
(4) (A) The department shall adopt regulations to establish an inspection fee to be collected every 13 months, based on the number of modified limousines operated by a single charter-party carrier or passenger stage corporation. The fee shall be in an amount sufficient to offset the costs to administer the inspection program and shall not be used to supplant or support any other inspection program conducted by the department. The fee shall be in addition to any other required fee. When developing the regulations, the department shall consider measures that increase efficiencies to limit the financial impact to charter-party carriers of passengers and passenger stage corporations subject to the fee. The department shall promulgate the regulations in consultation with appropriate interested parties.
(B) The fee structure established pursuant to this subdivision shall apply to modified limousines that are required to undergo a safety inspection pursuant to this section.
(C) The fee established pursuant to this subdivision shall be collected by the Public Utilities Commission and deposited into the Motor Vehicle Account in the State Transportation Fund to cover the costs of the inspections conducted by the department.
(5) The department shall transmit to the Public Utilities Commission inspection data of modified limousine terminals inspected pursuant to this program, as specified in the program regulations.
(c) Regulations adopted pursuant to this section shall be consistent with the established inspection program administered by the department for buses pursuant to this division.
(Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 480, Sec. 2. (AB 863) Effective January 1, 2016.)