Article 9 - Sunset Provision

California Health and Safety Code — §§ 25299.81-25299.82

Sections (2)

Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 72, Sec. 29. (SB 156) Effective July 2, 2024. Note: Inoperative clause affects Chapter 6.75 (commencing with Section 25299.10), except Articles 1, 2, 4, and Section 25299.81.

(a)Except as provided in subdivisions (b) and (c), this chapter shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2036.
(b)Notwithstanding subdivision (a), this section, Article 1 (commencing with Section 25299.10), Article 2 (commencing with Section 25299.11), and Article 4 (commencing with Section 25299.36) shall remain in effect on January 1, 2036.
(c)The

inoperability of certain portions of this chapter pursuant to subdivision (a) does not terminate any of the following rights, obligations, or authorities, or any provision necessary to carry out these rights and obligations:

(1)The filing and payment of claims against the fund, including the costs specified in subdivisions (c), (e), and (h) of Section 25299.51, claims filed under Section 25299.50.3, and claims for commingled plumes, as specified in Article 11 (commencing with Section 25299.90), until the moneys in the fund are exhausted. Upon exhaustion of the fund, any remaining claims shall be invalid.
(2)The repayment of loans, outstanding as of January 1, 2036, due and payable to the board.
(3)The recovery of moneys reimbursed to a claimant to which the claimant is not entitled, or the resolution of any cost recovery action.
(4)The collection of

fees, the issuance of refunds and allowance of credits, the disposition of the moneys collected, and the commencement of any action or proceeding regarding fees by the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration pursuant to Part 26 (commencing with Section 50101) of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code that are imposed or authorized pursuant to Article 5 (commencing with Section 25299.40), as that article read on December 31, 2035, or have become due before January 1, 2036, including any interest or penalties that accrue before, on, or after January 1, 2036, associated with those

fees or actions, for deposit into the fund.

(5)The payment for the administrative costs of the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 25299.51 and refunds pursuant to subdivision (g) of Section 25299.51.
(6)(A) The filing of an application for funds from, and the making of payments from, the Underground Storage Tank Petroleum Contamination Orphan Site Cleanup Fund pursuant to Section

25299.50.2, any action for the recovery of moneys paid pursuant to Section 25299.50.2 to which the recipient is not entitled, and the resolution of that cost recovery action.

(B)Upon liquidation of funds in the Underground Storage Tank Petroleum Contamination Orphan Site Cleanup Fund, the obligation to make a payment from the Underground Storage Tank Petroleum Contamination Orphan Site Cleanup Fund is terminated.
(7)(A) The payment of loans and grants, consistent with the terms of agreements that were effective prior to January 1, 2036, from the fund pursuant to this chapter or the

Petroleum Underground Storage Tank Financing Account pursuant to Chapter 6.76 (commencing with Section 25299.100). Upon exhaustion of the fund, any remaining claims for payment of grants or loans shall be invalid.

(B)The amount of money disbursed for grants and loans pursuant to Chapter 6.76 (commencing with Section 25299.100) shall not exceed the sum of the following:
(i)The amount that reverts to the fund pursuant to Section 25299.111.

(ii) Amounts recovered through the repayment of loans granted pursuant to Chapter 6.76 (commencing with Section 25299.100).

(iii) The resolution of any cost recovery action filed prior to January 1, 2036, or the initiation of an action or other collection process to recover defaulted loan moneys due to the board or to

recover money paid to a grant or loan recipient pursuant to Chapter 6.76 (commencing with Section 25299.100) to which the recipient is not entitled.

(8)(A) The imposition and collection of civil liability pursuant to Article 7 (commencing with Section 25299.70), as that article read on December 31, 2035.
(B)Subparagraph (A) shall not be construed as extending or modifying any applicable statute of limitations.
(d)The board shall continuously post and update on its internet website, but at a minimum, annually on or

before September 30, information that describes the status of the fund and shall make recommendations, when appropriate, to improve the efficiency of the program.

Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 561, Sec. 10. (AB 1115) Effective January 1, 2024. Inoperative January 1, 2036, pursuant to Section 25299.81.

To ensure that the phase out of the fund, as provided in Section 25299.81, is achieved in an orderly manner that enables owners and operators to maintain continuous coverage for financial responsibility obligations required by Sections 25292.2 and 25299.31 and the federal act, the board shall take the following actions:

(a)The board shall not accept claim applications submitted to the fund pursuant to Section 25299.57 or 25299.58 after January 1, 2035, unless the board finds that the unauthorized release that is the subject of the claim was discovered before January 1, 2035, and the submission of a claim application by that date was beyond the claimant’s reasonable control.
(b)The board shall not accept requests for reimbursements submitted to the fund pursuant to Section 25299.57 or 25299.58 after July 1, 2035.