(a) Prior to the transport of any hazardous radioactive materials containing cargoes of commercially produced, spent radioactive fuel outside the confines of a facility where that material was used or stored, or prior to the delivery of these materials to a carrier for transport, each carrier shall provide advance notification, in writing, of the shipment to the Department of the California Highway Patrol, which, in turn, shall notify all of the following persons:

(1) The fire chiefs of each city and county fire department and the fire chiefs of each fire protection district serving a population greater than 15,000, which city, county, or fire protection district is located along the proposed route. The Department of the California Highway Patrol, however, shall notify only those fire chiefs who have requested, in writing, to be so notified. A fire chief may revoke this request, in writing, at any time.

This paragraph does not apply to any fire chief of a fire department or fire protection district that is composed of 50 percent or more volunteer firefighters.

(2) The police chiefs of each city where surface transportation would occur along the proposed route.

(b) Subdivision (a) applies only to the extent that it does not conflict with federal law.

(c) Each advance notification shall contain the following information:

(1) The name, address, and telephone number of the shipper, carrier, and receiver of the shipment.

(2) If the shipment originates within California, the point of origin of the shipment and the 48-hour period during which departure of the shipment is estimated to occur, the destination of the shipment within California, and the 48-hour period during which the shipment is estimated to arrive.

(3) If the shipment originates outside of California, the point of origin of the shipment and the 48-hour period during which the shipment is estimated to arrive at state boundaries, the destination of the shipment within California, and the 48-hour period during which the shipment is estimated to arrive.

(4) A telephone number and address for current shipment information.

(d) The Department of the California Highway Patrol shall design a standard notification form to include all of the information specified in subdivision (c) and shall make these forms available by April 1, 1984.

(e) The notification is required to reach the Department of the California Highway Patrol at least 72 hours before the beginning of the 48-hour period during which departure of the shipment is estimated to occur, and the Department of the California Highway Patrol shall notify the fire chiefs who have requested notification and the police chiefs specified in subdivision (a) at least 36 hours before the beginning of this 48-hour period. A copy of the notification shall be retained by the Department of the California Highway Patrol for three years.

(f) The carrier shall also notify, by telephone or telegram, the Department of the California Highway Patrol if there are any changes in the scheduling of a shipment, in the routes to be used for a shipment, or any cancellation of a shipment. The Department of the California Highway Patrol shall, in turn, notify the fire chiefs who have requested notification and the police chiefs specified in subdivision (a) who would be affected by these changes in the scheduling of a shipment, in the routes to be used for a shipment, or the cancellation of a shipment. The Department of the California Highway Patrol shall maintain for three years a record of each telegram and telephonic notification.

(g) Any person or agency that receives any information pursuant to this section shall not disseminate or reveal this information to any other person, state agency, city, county, or local agency unless the person or agency determines that disseminating or revealing this information is necessary to protect the public health and safety or the environment.

(h) The Governor shall appoint the fire chiefs eligible to request notification, as specified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), as the designated representatives of the Governor pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection (c) of Section 73.21 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations for the purpose of receiving information classified as safeguards information pursuant to Part 73 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

(i) Any carrier who violates this section, in addition to any penalty provided by law, is subject to a civil penalty of not more than five hundred dollars ($500) for each violation. For purposes of this section, each day of a continuing violation is a separate and distinct violation.

When establishing the amount of civil liability pursuant to this subdivision, the court shall consider, in addition to other relevant circumstances, the following:

(1) The extent of the harm caused by the violation.

(2) The persistence of the violation.

(3) The number of prior violations by the same violator.

(4) The deterrent value of the penalty based on the financial resources of the violator.

(Amended by Stats. 1996, Ch. 124, Sec. 136. Effective January 1, 1997.)