44014.2. (a) The department shall develop a program for the voluntary certification of licensed smog check stations, or the department may accept a smog check station certification program proposed by accredited industry representatives. The certification program, which may be called a “gold shield” program, shall be for the purpose of providing consumers, whose vehicles fail an emissions test at a test-only facility, an option of services at a single location to prevent the necessity for additional trips back to the test-only facility for vehicle certification. The department shall establish inspection-based performance standards consistent with Section 44014.6 for stations certified under this program that the stations would be required to meet to be eligible to issue certificates of compliance or noncompliance for vehicles selected pursuant to Sections 44010.5 and 44014.7, or vehicles identified by the department as gross polluters.
(b) The department shall adopt regulations that apply to all enhanced areas of the state, including those areas subject to the enhanced program pursuant to Section 44003.5, that permit both of the following:
(1) Any vehicle that fails a required smog test at a test-only facility may be repaired, retested, and certified at a facility licensed pursuant to Section 44014, and certified pursuant to subdivision (a).
(2) Any vehicle that is identified as a gross polluter may be repaired, retested, and certified at a facility licensed pursuant to Section 44014, and certified pursuant to subdivision (a).
(c) Smog check stations that seek voluntary certification under this section shall enter into an agreement with the department to provide repair services pursuant to Section 44062.1.
(d) An agreement made pursuant to this section shall not be deemed to be a contract subject to the requirements of Part 2 (commencing with Section 10100) of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code.
(Amended by Stats. 2010, Ch. 258, Sec. 5. (AB 2289) Effective January 1, 2011.)