Section 14552.

(a) The department shall establish and implement an auditing system to ensure that the information collected, and refund values and redemption payments paid pursuant to this division, comply with the purposes of this division. Notwithstanding Sections 14573 and 14573.5, the auditing system adopted by the department may include prepayment or postpayment controls.

(b) (1)  On or after January 1 of each year, the department may audit or investigate any action taken up to three years before the onset of the audit or investigation and may determine if there was compliance with this division and the regulations adopted pursuant to this division, during that period.

(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law establishing a shorter statute of limitation, the department may take an enforcement action, including, but not limited to, an action for restitution or to impose penalties, at any time within two years after the department discovers, or with reasonable diligence, should have discovered, a violation of this division or the regulations adopted pursuant to this division.

(c) During the conduct of any inspection, including, but not limited to, an inspection conducted as part of an audit or investigation, the entity that is the subject of the inspection shall, during its normal business hours, provide the department with immediate access to its facilities, operations, and any relevant record, that, in the department's judgment, the department determines are necessary to carry out this section to verify compliance with this division and the regulations adopted pursuant to this division.

(1) The department may take disciplinary action pursuant to Section 14591.2 against any person who fails to provide the department with access pursuant to this subdivision including, but not limited to, imposing penalties and the immediate suspension or termination of any certificate or registration held by the operator.

(2) The department shall protect any information obtained pursuant to this section in accordance with Section 14554, except that this section does not prohibit the department from releasing any information that the department determines to be necessary in the course of an enforcement action.

(d) The auditing system adopted by the department shall allow for reasonable shrinkage in material due to moisture, dirt, and foreign material. The department, after an audit by a qualified auditing firm and a hearing, shall adopt a standard to be used to account for shrinkage and shall incorporate this standard in the audit process.

(e) If the department prevails against any entity in any civil or administrative action brought pursuant to this division, and money is owed to the department as a result of the action, the department may offset the amount against amounts claimed by the entity to be due to it from the department. The department may take this offset by withholding payments from the entity or by authorizing all processors to withhold payment to a certified recycling center.

(f) If the department determines, pursuant to an audit or investigation, that a distributor or beverage manufacturer has overpaid the redemption payment or processing fee, the department may do either of the following:

(1) Offset the overpayment against future payments.

(2) Refund the payment pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 13140) of Chapter 2 of Part 3 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

(Amended by Stats. 2008, Ch. 696, Sec. 9. Effective September 30, 2008.)