(a) Upon receipt of a complaint containing sufficient information to warrant conducting an investigation, the local agency shall investigate any business that advertises or operates taxicab transportation service for hire. The local agency shall, by ordinance, resolution, or other appropriate procedure, adopt criteria that establishes the type of information, if contained in a complaint, that is sufficient to warrant an investigation. Pursuant to this investigation, the local agency shall do all of the following:
(1) Determine which businesses, if any, are required to have in effect a valid taxicab certificate, license, or permit as required by ordinance, but do not have that valid authority to operate.
(2) Inform any business not having valid authority to operate that it is in violation of law.
(3) Within 60 days of informing the business pursuant to paragraph (2), institute civil or criminal proceedings, or both, pursuant to the governing municipal code or other authority of jurisdiction.
(b) For purposes of this section:
(1) “Advertises” means any action described in subdivision (b) of Section 53075.9.
(2) “Local agency” means the local entity responsible for the regulation, including, but not limited to, the certification, licensing, or permitting of, and enforcement of rules, regulations, or ordinances governing, taxicabs within the local jurisdiction.
(Added by Stats. 2008, Ch. 721, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2009.)