17550.53. (a) The Travel Consumer Restitution Corporation shall have independent authority to investigate claims filed by persons aggrieved pursuant to Section 17550.47.
(b) The corporation, upon the request of the office of the Attorney General, may participate in an examination or investigation of the books and records of a participant for the purpose of evaluating a claim related to that seller of travel. There shall be no liability on the part of, and no cause of action of any nature shall arise against, the State of California or any of its employees, agents, or representatives for the release of any information furnished to the Travel Consumer Restitution Corporation pursuant to this subdivision or in connection with the investigation or review of any claim.
(c) With the consent of a majority of its directors, the corporation, in order to fulfill its obligations under this article, may appoint an independent certified public accountant or public accountant or hire or appoint a specialized committee or employees to conduct an examination or investigation authorized by this section. Any reports as a result thereof shall be furnished to the office of the Attorney General.
(d) To assist the corporation in evaluating a claim related to a participant, the participant shall provide or make available for inspection by the corporation those books, accounts, bank account records, and files which are necessary for the corporation to evaluate the claim.
(e) The corporation, any participant, an agent of the corporation or any person other than a law enforcement agency who uses information obtained under this section for any purpose not authorized in this article or Article 2.6 (commencing with Section 17550) is guilty of a misdemeanor.
(f) Costs and expenses for any examination under this section shall be paid for by the participant if a claim directly related to that seller of travel has been approved and payment has been made to a person aggrieved. The corporation may maintain an action for recovery of these examination costs and expenses in any court of competent jurisdiction, and shall recover its reasonable costs and attorney’s fees as an item of costs, as provided for in paragraph (10) of subdivision (a) and paragraph (5) of subdivision (c) of Section 1033.5 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(Amended by Stats. 1998, Ch. 924, Sec. 27. Effective January 1, 1999.)