(a)  No smog check technician may perform tests or make repairs required by this chapter, for compensation, unless qualified by the department for the class and category of vehicle being tested or repaired. To qualify, smog check technicians shall pass a qualification test administered by the department, in addition to meeting prerequisite minimum experience and training criteria established by the department, pursuant to Section 44045.5. Passage of the qualification test shall, and training may, also be required upon each biennial renewal of the smog check technician’s license.

(b)  The department shall prescribe training and periodic retraining courses for licensed smog check technicians pursuant to Section 44045.6.

(c)  Whenever the department determines, through investigation, that a previously qualified smog check technician may lack the skills to reliably and accurately perform the test or repair functions within the required qualification, the department may prescribe for the technician one or more retraining courses which have been certified by the department. The smog check technician may request and be granted a hearing, pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, on the department’s determination. The request for a hearing shall be submitted within 30 days of the department’s notification of its determination. A failure to complete the prescribed retraining course within the time designated by the department, or to request a hearing within 30 days of the department’s notification of its determination, shall result in loss of qualification. Upon a later completion of the prescribed department certified retraining course, the department may reinstate the smog check technician’s qualification.

(d)  Smog check technicians shall have the option to do hands-on work in lieu of written work in order to successfully complete the department certified training and retraining courses or may complete comparable military training as documented by submission of Verification of Military Experience and Training (V-MET) records in lieu of meeting any other training-related requirements of this section.

(e)  The institution administering the department certified training or retraining courses shall issue a certificate of completion to each person who successfully completes the certified courses. The certificate shall be valid for two years.

(f)  The department may, by regulation, establish procedures relating to the issuance and use of photo identification cards for licensed technicians.

(Amended by Stats. 2002, Ch. 405, Sec. 70. Effective January 1, 2003.)