Vehicles: vehicle registration amnesty program.

(1) Existing law requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to administer a vehicle registration amnesty program from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2010, for vehicles that have been registered previously or classified incorrectly and that are correctly registered in accordance with the amnesty program's requirements. Existing law requires the department, pursuant to the program, to grant amnesty to a vehicle owner, if among other things, the vehicle owner filed an amnesty application with the department attesting, under the penalty of perjury, to the owner's eligibility to participate in the program. Existing law provides that a specially constructed vehicle applying for amnesty does not qualify for a specified exemption from the requirement to obtain a certificate of compliance issued by a licensed smog check station. Existing law considers a vehicle to be "correctly registered" if, among other things, the vehicle has been issued a certificate of compliance by a licensed smog check station. This bill would require the department to establish the above amnesty program from July 1, 2011, to June 30, 2012, and would make related changes. For the purposes of that program, the bill would require a specially constructed vehicle to be considered "correctly registered" if it has been issued a certificate of compliance on the basis that the specially constructed vehicle has met the inspection and maintenance tailpipe emissions requirements, as determined by the Bureau of Automotive Repair, for the model year assigned in the amnesty application. Because the bill would expand the scope of the crime of perjury, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) This bill would incorporate additional changes in Section 4750.1 of the Vehicle Code proposed by SB 165 to be operative only if SB 165 and this bill are both chaptered and become effective on or before January 1, 2011, and this bill is chaptered last. (3) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.