Pub. Resources Code, § 42984.8

(a) Within 12 months of the effective date of the regulations adopted by the department pursuant to Section 42984.2, a PRO shall develop and submit to the department a complete plan, in a form and manner determined by the department, in accordance with the requirements of this chapter, for the collection, transportation, repair, sorting, recycling, and the safe and proper management of covered products in the state. No PRO serving more than one producer may limit its stewardship plan for covered products to the covered products of the producers participating in that stewardship program.

(b) The department shall review the stewardship plan for compliance with this chapter and shall approve, disapprove, or conditionally approve the plan within 120 days of receipt of the plan.

(c) (1) If the department disapproves a plan submitted by a PRO, the department shall explain how the plan does not comply with this chapter and provide written notice to the PRO within 60 days of disapproval. The PRO may resubmit to the department a revised plan within 30 days of the date the written notice was issued, and the department shall review the revised plan within 60 days of resubmittal.

(2) If the department disapproves a revised plan submitted by a PRO, the department shall explain how the plan does not comply with this chapter and provide written notice to the PRO within 60 days of disapproval. The PRO shall then revise and resubmit the plan consistent with the department’s direction within 30 days, otherwise the disapproval is final and the PRO and producers may be subject to penalties.

(3) By July 1, 2030, a PRO shall have a complete plan approved by the department and each producer shall be subject to an approved plan to be in compliance with this chapter.

(d) Within three months of approval by the department, a PRO shall begin to implement the approved plan.

(e) A PRO with an approved plan shall submit any proposed substantial change to the plan to the department for approval employing the procedures set forth in this section.

(f) The approved plan shall be a public record, except that financial or sales data reported to the department by the PRO is not a public record for purposes of the California Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1 of the Government Code) and shall not be open to public inspection. The department may release financial or sales data in summary form only so the information cannot be attributable to a specific producer or distributor or to any other entity.