Professions and vocations.

Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of various professions and vocations by boards, bureaus, commissions, divisions, and other agencies within the Department of Consumer Affairs. Existing law requires an agency within the department to investigate a consumer accusation or complaint against a licensee and, where appropriate, the agency is authorized to impose disciplinary action against a licensee. Under existing law, an agency within the department may refer a complaint to the Attorney General or Office of Administrative Hearings for further action. This bill would require the Attorney General to submit a report to the department, the Governor, and the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature, on or before January 1, 2018, and on or before January 1 of each subsequent year, that includes specified information regarding the actions taken by the Attorney General pertaining to accusation matters relating to consumer complaints against a person whose profession or vocation is licensed by an agency within the department. Existing law creates the Division of Investigation within the department and requires investigators who have the authority of peace officers to be in the division to investigate the laws administered by the various boards comprising the department or commence directly or indirectly any criminal prosecution arising from any investigation conducted under these laws. This bill would, in order to implement the Consumer Protection Enforcement Initiative of 2010, require the Director of Consumer Affairs, through the Division of Investigation, to implement "Complaint Prioritization Guidelines" for boards to utilize in prioritizing their complaint and investigative workloads and to determine the referral of complaints to the division and those that are retained by the health care boards for investigation. The bill would exempt the Medical Board of California from required utilization of these guidelines. Under existing law, the California Board of Accountancy within the department is responsible for the licensure and regulation of accountants and is required to designate an executive officer. Existing law repeals these provisions on January 1, 2016. This bill would extend the repeal date to January 1, 2020. Existing law authorizes the California Board of Accountancy, after notice and hearing, to revoke, suspend, or refuse to renew any permit or certificate, as specified, or to censure the holder of that permit or certificate for unprofessional conduct. This bill would additionally authorize the board, after notice and hearing, to permanently restrict or limit the practice of a licensee or impose a probationary term or condition on a license for unprofessional conduct. This bill would authorize a licensee to petition the board for reduction of a penalty or reinstatement of the privilege, as specified, and would provide that failure to comply with any restriction or limitation imposed by the board is grounds for revocation of the license. Under existing law, the Contractors' State License Law, the Contractors' State License Board is responsible for the licensure and regulation of contractors and is required to appoint a registrar of contractors. Existing law repeals these provisions establishing the board and requiring it to appoint a registrar on January 1, 2016. This bill would extend these repeal dates to January 1, 2020. Existing law requires every applicant for an original contractor's license, the reactivation of an inactive license, or the reissuance or reinstatement of a revoked license to evidence financial solvency, as specified, and requires the registrar to deny the application of any applicant who fails to comply with that requirement. Existing law, as a condition precedent to the issuance, reinstatement, reactivation, renewal, or continued maintenance of a license, requires the applicant or licensee to file or have on file a contractor's bond in the sum of $12,500. This bill would repeal that evidence of financial solvency requirement and would instead require that bond to be in the sum of $15,000.