Contractors.

(1) The Contractors' State License Law provides for the licensure and regulation of contractors by the Contractors' State License Board within the Department of Consumer Affairs. The act establishes an enforcement division within the board that is required to enforce prohibitions against all forms of unlicensed activity, as specified. The act authorizes persons employed as enforcement representatives in the division and designated by the Director of Consumer Affairs to issue written notices to appear in court, as specified. This bill would additionally require that the enforcement division, when participating in the activities of the Joint Enforcement Strike Force on the Underground Economy, be granted free access to all places of labor. The bill would make other technical, nonsubstantive changes to these provisions. (2) The act makes it a misdemeanor for a person to engage in the business of, or act in the capacity of, a contractor within this state without having a license, unless particularly exempted. This bill would instead provide that, unless exempted, it is a misdemeanor for a person to engage in the business of, or act in the capacity of, a contractor within this state if the person is not licensed in accordance with the act, or if the person performs acts covered by the act under a license that is under suspension for specified violations. (3) The act provides that it is a misdemeanor for any person to advertise for construction or work of improvement unless that person holds a valid license in the classification so advertised, except as specified. However, the act authorizes a person who is not licensed as a contractor to advertise for construction work or work of improvement if he or she states in the advertisement that he or she is not licensed, as specified. The act also exempts from its application any work or operation on one undertaking or project by one or more contracts if the aggregate contract price for labor, materials, and all other items is less than $500, and the work or operations are casual, minor, or inconsequential. This bill would authorize a person who is not licensed as a contractor to advertise for construction work or a work of improvement only if the aggregate contract price is less than $500 and the person states in the advertisement that he or she is not licensed. By expanding the scope of an existing crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (4) The act authorizes the board to appoint a registrar of contractors. Existing law requires the registrar to initiate disciplinary action against a licensee within 30 days of notification by the Labor Commissioner of a finding of a willful or deliberate violation of the Labor Code. This bill would instead require the registrar to initiate disciplinary action against a licensee within 180 days of notification by the Labor Commissioner. 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.