If a federal program and regulations similar to the program and regulations developed pursuant to this division are established and implemented, the commission shall submit a report to the Legislature within eight months of the implementation of the federal program. The report shall compare the federal program with the program described in this division and make a finding as to the federal program’s relative effectiveness in preventing the introduction of marine invasive species from vessels visiting California. The commission shall recommend repeal of the program described in this division only if it finds that the federal program is equally or more effective at implementing and funding effective controls on the release of aquatic invasive species into the waters of the state than the program described in this division.

(Amended by Stats. 2006, Ch. 292, Sec. 7. Effective January 1, 2007.)