Automotive repair.

(1) Existing law, the Automotive Repair Act, establishes the Bureau of Automotive Repair under the supervision and control of the Director of Consumer Affairs. A violation of the act is a crime. Existing law provides for the registration and regulation of automotive repair dealers and makes it unlawful for any person to be an automotive repair dealer unless registered with the bureau. Existing law defines an automotive repair dealer and an automotive technician as persons who, among other things, repair motor vehicles. Existing law defines the repair of motor vehicles to mean all maintenance of, and repairs to, motor vehicles, as specified, and excludes from the definition, among other things, repairing tires, changing tires, and lubricating vehicles. Existing law defines an automotive technician as an employee of an automotive repair dealer or that dealer, if the employer or dealer repairs motor vehicles, and who for salary or wage performs specified work on a motor vehicle, but excludes, among other things, repairing tires, changing tires, and lubricating vehicles. This bill would delete repairing and changing tires from those exclusion lists. The bill would additionally exclude tire services provided by or on behalf of a motor club holding a specified certificate of authority or an operator of a tow truck owned or operated by a person or entity possessing a valid motor carrier permit from the definitions of "repair of motor vehicles" and "automotive technician." This bill would define the term tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) to mean the automotive safety device that warns the driver by using a lighted icon on the onboard diagnostic system that one or more of the tires are underinflated. The bill would require an automotive repair dealer that repairs tires or changes tires to be capable of diagnosing and servicing the TPMS in accordance with industry standards if the vehicle is manufactured with the device. Because the failure of a person repairing or changing tires to register as an automotive repair dealer with the bureau and the failure of a tire dealer or tire service provider to diagnose and service a TPMS in accordance with industry standards would constitute a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated program. (2) 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.