(a) For purposes of administering this chapter and Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 14000) of this part, the department is hereby designated as the single or appropriate state agency with full power to administer and adopt regulations in order to secure full compliance with applicable provisions of state and federal laws.

(b) The department may adopt regulations implementing this chapter as emergency regulations in accordance with Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code. Initial regulations to implement this chapter may be adopted as emergency regulations. The adoption of these initial emergency regulations shall be considered by the Office of Administrative Law as necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety, or general welfare. Initial emergency regulations adopted pursuant to this section shall remain in effect for no more than 180 days.

(c) This section shall become operative on January 1, 1995.

(Repealed (in Sec. 5) and added by Stats. 1993, Ch. 573, Sec. 6. Effective September 28, 1993. Section operative January 1, 1995, by its own provisions.)