(a) Notwithstanding Sections 44072 and 44072.4, the director, or the director’s designee, pending a hearing conducted pursuant to subdivision (e), may temporarily suspend any smog check station or technician’s license issued under this chapter, for a period not to exceed 60 days, if the department determines that the licensee’s conduct would endanger the public health, safety, or welfare before the matter could be heard pursuant to subdivision (e), based upon reasonable evidence of any of the following:
(1) Fraud.
(2) Tampering.
(3) Intentional or willful violation of this chapter or any regulation, standard, or procedure of the department implementing this chapter.
(4) A pattern or regular practice of violating this chapter or any regulation, standard, or procedure of the department implementing this chapter.
(b) If a motor vehicle dealer sells any used vehicle, knowing that the vehicle has been fraudulently certified, that act shall be additional grounds for suspension or revocation pursuant to Section 11705 of the Vehicle Code. A dealer’s license revoked pursuant to this subdivision shall not be reinstated for any reason for a period of at least five years.
(c) The department shall revoke the license of any smog check technician or station licensee who fraudulently certifies vehicles or participates in the fraudulent inspection of vehicles. A fraudulent inspection includes, but is not limited to, all of the following:
(1) Clean piping, as defined by the department.
(2) Tampering with a vehicle emission control system or test analyzer system.
(3) Tampering with a vehicle in a manner that would cause the vehicle to falsely pass or falsely fail an inspection.
(4) Intentional or willful violation of this chapter or any regulation, standard, or procedure of the department implementing this chapter.
(d) Once a license has been revoked for a smog check station or technician under subdivision (a) or (c), the license shall not be reinstated for any reason. A hearing shall be held and a decision issued within 60 days after the date on which the notice of the temporary suspension was provided unless the time for the hearing has been extended, or the right to a hearing has been waived, by the licensee.
(e) The hearing shall be conducted in accordance with Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, or by court order.
(f) The department shall adopt, by regulation, procedures to ensure that any affected licensee is provided adequate notice and opportunity to be heard, except as otherwise provided in subdivision (a), prior to issuing an order temporarily suspending a license under this section.
(Amended by Stats. 2001, Ch. 357, Sec. 6. Effective January 1, 2002.)