1.    The term “air-conditioning equipment”, as used or referred to in this section, means mechanical vapor compression refrigeration equipment which is used to cool the driver’s or passenger compartment of any motor vehicle.

2.    Air-conditioning equipment must be manufactured, installed, and maintained with due regard for the safety of the occupants of the vehicle and the public and may not contain any refrigerant which is toxic to persons or which is flammable, unless the refrigerant is included in the list published by the United States environmental protection agency as a safe alternative motor vehicle air-conditioning substitute for chlorofluorocarbon-12, pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 7671k(c).

3.    The department may adopt and enforce safety requirements, rules, and specifications consistent with the requirements of this section applicable to equipment which must correlate with and, so far as possible, conform to the current recommended practice or standard applicable to air-conditioning equipment approved by the society of automotive engineers.

4.    No person may have for sale, offer for sale, sell, or equip any motor vehicle with any air-conditioning equipment unless it complies with the requirements of this section.

5.    No person may operate on any highway any motor vehicle equipped with any air-conditioning equipment unless the equipment complies with the requirements of this section.