Licensees: reporting requirements.

Existing law establishes, within the Department of Consumer Affairs, the Board for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. Existing law prohibits, in order to safeguard life, health, property, and public welfare, any person from practicing civil, electrical, or mechanical engineering, or land surveying unless appropriately licensed or specifically exempted from licensure, as specified. Existing law requires a licensee to report to the board in writing the occurrence of any of the specified events within 90 days of the date the licensee has knowledge of the event, including, but not limited to, any civil action judgment, settlement, arbitration award, or administrative action resulting in a judgment, settlement, or arbitration award against the licensee in any action alleging fraud, deceit, misrepresentation, breach or violation of contract, negligence, incompetence, or recklessness by the licensee in the practice of professional engineering or land surveying if the amount or value of the judgment, settlement, or arbitration award is $50,000 or greater. This bill would revise those provisions to instead require a licensee to report to the board the occurrence of any civil action settlement or administrative action resulting in a settlement against the licensee, as specified, if the amount or value of the settlement is greater than $50,000, and any civil action judgment or binding arbitration award or administrative action resulting in a judgment or binding arbitration award against the licensee, as specified, if the amount or value is $25,000 or greater. Existing law requires a court that rendered a conviction or judgment against a licensee, as specified, to report that fact to the board and provide the board with various documents. Existing law requires a state or local government agency that self-insures a licensee or an insurer that provides professional liability insurance to a licensee to report to the board specified information when payment of a civil action judgment, settlement, or arbitration award, as specified, against a licensee of the board has been made. This bill would require a court that entered a settlement against a licensee, as specified, to report that fact to the board and provide the board a copy of the settlement and any orders or opinions accompanying the settlement. The bill would require a state or local government agency that self-insures a licensee or an insurer that provides professional liability insurance to a licensee to report to the board specified information when payment of a civil action judgment, settlement, or binding arbitration award against a licensee of the board has been made.