Section 117924.

(a)  When the department is the enforcement agency, the department shall impose and cause the collection of an annual medical waste generator fee in an amount not to exceed twenty-five dollars ($25) on small quantity generators of medical waste, except for those small quantity generators that are required to register pursuant to Section 117925 and those generators generating only biohazardous waste as defined in subdivision (g) of Section 117635. Nothing in this part shall prevent the department from contracting with entities other than the department for these fee collection activities or from entering into agreements with medical waste transporters or providers of medical waste mail-back systems for the collection of these fees, if the department determines that such a fee collection arrangement would be cost-effective.

(b)  If the department determines to enter into a contract with a medical waste transporter or provider of medical waste mail-back systems for the collection of the fees, the department shall do all of the following:

(1)  Establish that not more than 5 percent of the fees collected may be recovered by the medical waste transporter or provider of medical waste mail-back systems as administrative costs for the collection of those fees.

(2)  Establish that the administrative costs for the collection of the fees shall be the same for all medical waste transporters and providers of medical waste mail-back systems.

(3)  Prohibit any medical waste transporter or provider of medical waste mail-back systems from waiving the generator fee without the written approval of the department and only if the medical waste generator has made a written request for the waiver.

(4)  Require the medical waste transporter or provider of medical waste mail-back systems to report the fees collected pursuant to subdivision (a) to the department.

(5)  Prohibit the medical waste transporter or provider of medical waste mail-back systems from assuming the role of the department as an enforcement agent for purposes of collecting the medical waste generator fees.

(6)  Require medical waste transporters or providers of medical waste mail-back systems to include the following language in at least 12-point type on their invoices to medical waste generators.

"Pursuant to Section 117924 of the California Health and Safety Code, the State Department of Health Services has contracted with us to collect your annual medical waste generator fee. The department may offset our costs of collection and administration in an amount that may not exceed 5 percent of the fee collected. We may not waive the fee without written approval of the department, and only if you have made a written request for the waiver."

(Added by Stats. 1996, Ch. 536, Sec. 25. Effective January 1, 1997. Note: Stats. 1996, Ch. 1023's addition of a Section 117924 deferred to this addition, pursuant to Sec. 510 of Ch. 1023.)