Business and professions.

(1) Existing law provides for the licensure, endorsement, and regulation of real estate brokers, real estate salespersons, and mortgage loan originators by the Real Estate Commissioner of the Department of Real Estate in the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency. The Office of Real Estate Appraisers within the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency is under the supervision and control of the Secretary of Business, Transportation and Housing. Existing law provides for the licensure, certification, and regulation of persons who engage in specified real estate appraisal activity by the Director of the Office of Real Estate Appraisers, who is responsible to the Secretary of Business, Transportation and Housing. This bill would state that protection of the public shall be the highest priority for the department and the office in exercising their licensing, regulatory, and disciplinary functions. The bill would authorize the department to enter into a settlement with a real estate licensee or applicant instead of the issuance of an accusation or statement of issues against the licensee or applicant and would require the settlement to identify the factual basis for the action being taken and the statutes or regulations that have been violated. The bill would authorize an administrative law judge to order a licensee in a disciplinary proceeding to pay, upon request of the commissioner, the reasonable costs of investigating and prosecuting the disciplinary case against the licensee. Following an administrative proceeding, or in connection with a stipulation, when the commissioner grants the right to a real estate license applicant or a licensee to apply for or obtain a restricted license or restricted mortgage loan originator license endorsement, the bill would authorize the commissioner to require the restricted licensee to pay the monetary costs associated with monitoring the licensed activities conducted pursuant to the restricted license or restricted mortgage loan originator license endorsement. The bill would provide that a license, endorsement, or certificate shall be suspended by the department or the office if the licensee or registrant is incarcerated after the conviction of a felony and would require the department or the office to notify the licensee or registrant of the suspension and of his or her right to a specified hearing. The bill would specify that no hearing is required, however, if the conviction was for a violation of federal law or state law for the use of dangerous drugs or controlled substances or specified sex offenses. The bill would require a licensee and registrant to report to the department or the office when there is an indictment or information charging a felony against the licensee or registrant or when he or she has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor. The bill would make a violation of this reporting requirement a cause for discipline. The bill would require costs recovered pursuant to these disciplinary proceedings to be deposited in either the Real Estate Fund or the Real Estate Appraisers Regulation Fund, as specified, and would make the funds available upon appropriation by the Legislature. The bill would require the secretary to review and evaluate the office, and make recommendations to the Legislature by October 1, 2014, regarding whether the office should be, among other things, consolidated within the department or another state entity. The bill would provide that, on and after January 1, 2015, the department and the office shall be subject to review by the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature. (2) Existing law authorizes the director to adopt regulations relating to the license renewal process that include, among other things, continuing education requirements. Existing law authorizes renewal applicants to certify that they have read and understand specified state and federal laws instead of being required to take a course relating to federal and state appraisal laws. This bill would, commencing January 1, 2013, require these renewal applicants to take that course. (3) Existing law establishes in the Real Estate Fund the Recovery Account, which is continuously appropriated for purposes of funding the Real Estate Recovery Program. The account is funded by crediting a specified percentage of any real estate license fee collected unless the balance in the Recovery Account is at least $3,500,000. Existing law provides that when an aggrieved person obtains a final judgment in a court of competent jurisdiction or an arbitration award against a defendant based upon specified misconduct by the defendant, the aggrieved person may file a claim application with the Department of Real Estate for payment from the Recovery Account of the amount unpaid on the judgment which represents an actual and direct loss to the claimant in the transaction. Existing law requires the commissioner to render a final written decision on the application within 90 days, except as specified, after a completed application has been received. Under existing law, if the commissioner fails to render a written decision in response to the claim within a specified timeframe, the claim shall be deemed to have been denied by the commissioner on the final day for rendering the decision. This bill would rename the Recovery Account as the Consumer Recovery Account and would delete the provision specifying that the claim shall be deemed to have been denied in the circumstances described above. (4) Existing law provides for the regulation of various profession and vocation licensees by boards within the Department of Consumer Affairs. The department is under the control of the Director of Consumer Affairs. Existing law, the Chiropractic Act, enacted by initiative, provides for the licensure and regulation of chiropractors by the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners. Existing law requires certain boards within the department to disclose on the Internet information on their respective licensees. This bill would require the California Board of Accountancy, the California Architects Board, the State Athletic Commission, the State Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, the State Board of Guide Dogs for the Blind, the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners, the Department of Real Estate, and the Office of Real Estate Appraisers to disclose on the Internet information on their respective licensees, as specified. (5) The bill would make other conforming and technical changes.