(a) (1) An authorized representative of the enforcement agency or board who, in the course of conducting an inspection, detects a minor violation, shall take an enforcement action as to the minor violation only in accordance with this section.

(2) In a proceeding concerning an enforcement action taken pursuant to this section, there shall be a rebuttable presumption upholding the determination made by the enforcement agency or board regarding whether the violation is a minor violation.

(b) A notice to comply shall be the only means by which an enforcement agency or board may cite a minor violation, unless the person cited fails to correct the violation or fails to submit the certification of correction within the time period prescribed in the notice, in which case the enforcement agency or board may take any enforcement action, including imposing a penalty, as authorized by this part.

(c) (1) The enforcement agency or the board shall commence an enforcement action under this section by serving a notice to comply on the owner or operator of the solid waste facility or disposal site at which a violation has occurred, specifying the violation and the manner in which the violation may be corrected.

(2) A person who receives a notice to comply detailing a minor violation shall have not more than 30 days from the date of the notice to comply in which to correct any violation cited in the notice to comply. Within five working days of correcting the violation, the person cited or an authorized representative shall sign the notice to comply, certifying that any violation has been corrected, and return the notice to the enforcement agency or board, whichever issued the notice to comply.

(3) A false certification that a violation has been corrected is punishable as a misdemeanor.

(4) The effective date of the certification that a violation has been corrected shall be one of the following dates, whichever occurs first:

(A) The date the certification is received by the enforcement agency or the board, whichever issued the notice to comply, including receipt of an electronic or facsimile version of the certification.

(B) The date the certification is postmarked by the United States Postal Service.

(C) The date the certification is accepted for delivery by a national express delivery service as evidenced by a receipt.

(d) If a notice to comply is issued, a single notice to comply shall be issued for all minor violations noted during the inspection, and the notice to comply shall list all of the minor violations and the manner in which each of the minor violations may be brought into compliance.

(e) If a person who receives a notice to comply pursuant to subdivision (c) disagrees with one or more of the alleged violations listed on the notice to comply, the person shall provide the enforcement agency or board that issued the notice to comply a written notice of disagreement specifying the allegations with which the person disagrees along with the returned signed notice to comply, certifying that all of the undisputed violations have been corrected. If the person disagrees with all of the alleged violations, the written notice of disagreement shall be returned in lieu of the signed certification of correction within 30 days of the date of issuance of the notice to comply. If the issuing agency takes administrative enforcement action on the basis of the disputed violation, that action may be appealed in the same manner as any other alleged violation under Section 44307.

(f) This section does not do any of the following:

(1) Prevent a reinspection to ensure compliance with this division or to ensure that minor violations cited in a notice to comply have been corrected and that the solid waste facility or disposal site is in compliance with this division.

(2) Prevent the enforcement agency or board from requiring a person to submit necessary documentation needed to support the person’s claim of compliance pursuant to subdivision (c).

(3) Restrict the power of a city attorney, district attorney, county counsel, or the Attorney General to bring, in the name of the people of California, any criminal proceeding otherwise authorized by law.

(4) Prevent the enforcement agency or board from cooperating with, or participating in, a proceeding specified in paragraph (3).

(Added by Stats. 2008, Ch. 500, Sec. 19. Effective January 1, 2009.)