Spot check inspections

(a) The Tax Commissioner or his or her appointees, may stop, inspect and issue citations to operators of motor vehicles for violations of this chapter at sites where fuel is, or may be, produced, stored, or loaded into or consumed by motor vehicles. These sites include, but are not limited to: (1) A terminal; (2) A fuel storage facility that is not a terminal, such as a bulk storage facility; (3) A retail fuel facility; (4) Highway rest stops; or (5) A designated inspection area, including any state highway inspection station, weigh station, agricultural inspection station, mobile station or other location designated by the Tax Commissioner. (b) Nothing contained in this section may be construed to prohibit the issuance of a citation for the violation of the provisions of this article on the open highway or other than the spot check areas where the violation of this article is discovered where the motor vehicle is lawfully stopped for any other criminal violation of the laws of this state.