(

a) Except as provided in subdivisions (

b) and (c), an action brought pursuant to this

article shall be commenced by the director, the commissioner, the Attorney General, the district attorney, the city prosecutor, or the city attorney, as the case may be, within three years of the occurrence of the violation. (

b) When a commissioner submits a completed investigation to the director for action by the director or the Attorney General, the action shall be commenced within one year of that submission. However, this subdivision does not preclude the director from returning the investigation to the commissioner for action to be commenced by the commissioner, the district attorney, the city prosecutor, or the city attorney, as provided in subdivision (a). (c)

(1) An action brought by the director to collect unpaid mill assessments and delinquent fees required by

Article 4.5 (commencing with

Section 12841) or an action brought by the director to collect civil penalties pursuant to

Section 12999.4 for violations of

Article 4.5 (commencing with

Section 12841),

Section 12992,

Section 12993, or

Section shall be commenced within four years of the occurrence of the violation, except as provided in paragraph (2).

(2) An action brought by the director pursuant to

Section 12999.4 or for violations of

Article 4.5 (commencing with

Section 12841) or

Section 12992, 12993, or that are discovered during the course of an audit performed pursuant to

Section shall be commenced within two years from the date of audit completion and may be brought for a violation occurring within four years of the commencement of the audit.