Ordinarily I'd disagree with you because of Echeck. They'll nail you for almost anything. However, my catalytic converter is empty. It started to break up and rattle. To prevent anything from blowing out and plugging anything up, it was removed, gutted, and replaced (ala free flow cat). No tail pipe check, I passed.
Sounds like the cops in CA are even more rediculous than they are here (if that's possible).