Heavy-Duty Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance Program.

(1) Existing law requires the State Air Resources Board, in consultation with the Bureau of Automotive Repair and a specified review committee, to adopt regulations requiring owners or operators of heavy-duty diesel motor vehicles to perform regular inspections of their vehicles for excessive emissions of smoke. Existing law requires the state board, in consultation with the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, to adopt regulations requiring heavy-duty diesel motor vehicles to use emission control equipment and alternative fuels. This bill would require the state board, in consultation with the bureau and other specified entities, to implement a pilot program that develops and demonstrates technologies that show potential for readily bringing heavy-duty vehicles into an inspection and maintenance program. The bill would require the state board, no later than 2 years after the completion of the pilot program, to develop and implement a Heavy-Duty Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance Program for nongasoline heavy-duty onroad motor vehicles, as specified. The bill would authorize the state board to assess a fee and penalties as part of the program, as specified. The bill would create the Truck Emission Check (TEC) Fund, with all the moneys deposited in the fund to be available upon appropriation. The bill would require the state board, at least 60 days prior to the first hearing of the state board to consider the adoption of any rules or regulations initially implementing the program, to submit those proposed rules and regulations to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee and to the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature. This bill would require the state board, upon the implementation of the Heavy-Duty Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance Program, to provide mechanisms for out-of-state owners of heavy-duty vehicles to establish and verify compliance prior to entering the state. This bill would additionally require the state board, within 4 years following full implementation, to provide on its internet website 2 biennial reports, including information regarding enforcement and operational downtime in addition to an estimate of the emissions reduced and cost-effectiveness. (2) Existing law generally requires the registration of vehicles by the Department of Motor Vehicles. Under existing law, a violation of the Vehicle Code is an infraction, unless otherwise specified. This bill, no later than one year after the effective date of a regulation implementing the Heavy-Duty Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance Program, would require the department to confirm that a heavy-duty vehicle, as specified, is compliant with, or exempt from, the program prior to the initial registration, the transfer of ownership, or the renewal of registration, except as specified. The bill would require the state board to notify the department of the vehicles allowed to be registered pursuant to these provisions. This bill would authorize the department to issue a temporary permit, valid for a specified period and subject to certain conditions, to operate a vehicle for which registration may be refused pursuant to the above-described provisions, as specified. The bill would require the payment of a $50 fee, as specified, for the temporary permit, to be deposited in the Truck Emission Check (TEC) Fund. This bill, commencing one year after the effective date of a regulation implementing the Heavy-Duty Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance Program, would require a legal owner or registered owner of the heavy-duty vehicle to maintain a certificate of compliance with the vehicle, with exceptions, and would make a violation of this provision subject to a notice issued by an officer to correct the violation, as specified. The bill would require the driver of the vehicle to present the certificate of compliance for examination upon demand by a peace officer. This bill would prohibit the operation of a heavy-duty vehicle on a public road in this state if that vehicle has an illuminated malfunction indicator light displaying a specified engine symbol, and would make a violation of this provision subject to a notice issued by an officer to correct the violation on the basis of its designation as a mechanical violation. The bill would specify that a violation of this requirement is a correctable violation if the correction is made, as specified. This bill would prohibit the operation of a heavy-duty vehicle in a manner resulting in the escape of visible smoke, except during active regeneration. The bill would specify that a violation of this requirement is a correctable violation if the correction is made, as specified. By creating new crimes, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 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.