(1) Under existing law, if a coroner receives information from a pathologist indicating that a death may be the result of the gross negligence or incompetence of a physician and surgeon, podiatrist, or physician assistant, a confidential report is required to be filed with the applicable regulatory agency, as specified.

This bill instead would require that the reporting of that information is received by a county coroner or a county medical examiner. By expanding the duties of local officials, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

(2) Existing law, the Dental Practice Act, establishes the Dental Board of California in the Department of Consumer Affairs to license and regulate the practice of dentistry. Existing law requires the board to require an applicant for licensure to successfully complete certain examinations. Chapter 483 of the Statutes of 2024 (SB 1453) removed a pathway for licensure under which the applicant was authorized to meet the examination requirement by taking and receiving a passing score on a portfolio examination, as specified.

This bill would update various provisions of the Dental Practice Act to conform to SB 1453's removal of the portfolio examination provisions, including an update to a provision imposing a cap on the application fee the amount of which varies depending on the type of examination the applicant takes. The bill would also correct a cross-reference error made in SB 1453 relating to a requirement for dental assistants to complete a board-approved course in radiation safety to perform radiographic procedures.

(3) Existing law, the Optometry Practice Act, establishes the State Board of Optometry within the Department of Consumer Affairs to license and regulate the practice of optometry, including a nonresident ophthalmic lens dispenser, as specified. Existing law prescribes the minimum and maximum amounts of specified fees and penalties described in the act and set by the board. Among these fees, existing law imposes a registration fee for a nonresident ophthalmic lens dispenser at a minimum of $500, and a biennial renewal fee at a minimum of $300.

This bill would lower the minimum amount for the registration fee for a nonresident ophthalmic lens dispenser to $350, and would lower the minimum amount for the biennial renewal fee to $200.

(4) Existing law establishes the Board of Behavioral Sciences in the Department of Consumer Affairs to regulate licensees under the Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Act, the Clinical Social Worker Practice Act, and the Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Act. Existing law requires direct supervisor contact for certain experience required for licensure as a marriage and family therapist, clinical social worker, or licensed professional clinical counselor. Existing law authorizes contact to be via in-person contact, 2-way, real-time videoconferencing, or some combination of these, as specified. Existing law requires a supervisor to assess the appropriateness of utilizing videoconferencing for supervision within 60 days of beginning supervision.

 This bill would instead require that assessment only if supervision is conducted via 2-way, real-time videoconferencing, and within 60 days of beginning that supervision.

(5) Existing law establishes the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services in the Department of Consumer Affairs to regulate licensees under the Private Investigator Act, the Collateral Recovery Act, the Private Security Services Act, and the Alarm Company Act, and to regulate licensed locksmiths and their employees. A violation of these acts is punishable as a misdemeanor.

Existing law requires the Director of Consumer Affairs to furnish a copy of licensing law, rules, and regulations to an applicant or licensee of the acts without charge, as specified, and to charge and collect a specified fee for additional copies furnished to an applicant or licensee or copies furnished on request to any other person.

This bill would repeal those provisions related to the director furnishing copies of licensing law, rules, and regulations.

Existing law requires the business of a person licensed under the Private Security Services Act to be operated under the direction, control, charge, or management of a qualified manager, as specified. Existing law establishes requirements for a qualified manager, including obtaining a qualification certificate from the bureau and displaying the certificate at the principal place of business and at each branch office license. In this regard, existing law provides that the qualified manager certificate shall be prominently displayed below the branch office license at the principal place of business. However, existing law only requires a branch office certificate if the licensee advertises or conducts business from a location other than their principal place of business.

This bill would correct the provision requiring the qualified manager certificate to be displayed to instead require the qualification manager certificate to be displayed below the private patrol operator's license at the principal place of business.

(6) Existing law establishes the Contractors State License Board in the Department of Consumer Affairs to regulate licensees under the Contractors State License Law. Existing law requires fees and penalties collected pursuant to this law to be deposited in the Contractors License Fund. The Construction Management Education Account is an account in the Contractors License Fund that contains funds used to promote construction management education.

Existing law establishes an advisory committee to recommend grant awards for the support of courses of study in construction management and requires the committee to consist of 11 members, including at least one representative from each of a list of specified contractor associations.

This bill would lower the committee membership to 10 members and would remove the requirement to have at least one representative from the Engineering Contractors Association.

(7) Existing law establishes the Bureau of Automotive Repair in the Department of Consumer Affairs to regulate licensees under the Automotive Repair Act, including an automotive repair dealer. Existing law requires an automotive repair dealer to give the customer a written estimated price for labor and parts necessary for a specific job. Existing law makes a specified violations of the Automotive Repair Act punishable as a misdemeanor.

This bill would allow an automotive repair dealer to provide a customer a written estimate in an electronic format. The bill would make conforming changes to related enforcement provisions.

(8) Existing law generally requires a person who regularly transacts business in the state under a fictitious business name to file with a county clerk a fictitious business statement that includes specified information. Existing law requires the county clerk to furnish without charge a form for that statement and requires the form to contain fields for certain information, including a field for the registrant's signature. Existing law provides which individuals may sign the fictitious business name statement and makes the declaration of any material matter that the registrant knows to be false a crime, as specified.

This bill would require the form to include, directly below the signature line, lines for the signatory's printed name and title, as specified. By modifying the requirements of the form furnished by the county clerk, the bill would increase the duties of local officials, thereby imposing a state-mandated local program. Additionally, by expanding the information that must be declared in the fictitious business name statement form, the bill would expand the scope of a crime, thereby imposing a state-mandated local program.

(9) Existing law establishes the Bureau of Household Goods and Services in the Department of Consumer Affairs to administer various laws, including the Household Movers Act. Existing law requires the bureau to require an applicant for a household mover permit to establish ability and financial responsibility to initiate the proposed operation.

This bill would delete that applicant requirement.

(10) This bill would make various other nonsubstantive changes, including updating cross-references and eliminating gendered pronouns.

(11) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.