(a) Every employer intending to hire a tow truck driver on or after July 1, 1992, shall require the applicant for employment to submit a temporary tow truck driver certificate issued by the department or a permanent tow truck driver certificate issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles. The employer shall review the certificate and obtain a copy to be maintained as required by subdivision (c). The employer shall not hire any tow truck driver in any freeway service patrol operations who does not provide a temporary tow truck driver certificate issued by the department or a permanent tow truck driver certificate issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles. The employer shall not allow a tow truck driver who is not certified to participate in any freeway service patrol operations. If the issuance date on the certificate is more than 90 days from the proposed date of hire, the employer shall contact the department to reverify eligibility.

(b) On or after July 1, 1992, every employer, whose currently employed tow truck drivers are required to obtain a tow truck driver certificate pursuant to Section 12520, shall require the employees to submit to the employer a temporary tow truck driver certificate issued by the department or a permanent tow truck driver certificate issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles. The employer shall review the certificate and obtain a copy to be maintained as required by subdivision (c).

(c) Every employer shall maintain a tow truck driver certificate file for all tow truck drivers hired on or after July 1, 1992, or all currently employed tow truck drivers who are required to obtain a tow truck driver certificate pursuant to Section 12520. The employer shall retain employee rosters and copies of tow truck driver certificates for all tow truck drivers. The roster shall be comprised of the following two lists:

(1) Drivers who have valid tow truck driver certificates.

(2) Drivers who would be prohibited, pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 13377, from involvement in any freeway service patrol operation.

Every employer shall make available for inspection by the department at the employer’s primary place of business in this state. In addition, the employer shall maintain a personnel roster, also available for inspection, of all current tow truck drivers and their date of hire by the employer.

(d) Upon notification that a tow truck driver has been arrested for, or convicted of, any crime specified in paragraph (1), (2), (3), or (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 13377, the employer shall remove that tow truck driver from any position involving freeway service patrol operations.

(e) A violation of this section by an employer is a misdemeanor.

(Amended by Stats. 1992, Ch. 1241, Sec. 8. Effective January 1, 1993.)