Professions and vocations: retired category: licenses.

Existing law provides for numerous boards, bureaus, commissions, or programs within the Department of Consumer Affairs that administer the licensing and regulation of various businesses and professions. Existing law authorizes any of the boards, bureaus, commissions, or programs within the department, except as specified, to establish by regulation a system for an inactive category of license for persons who are not actively engaged in the practice of their profession or vocation. Under existing law, the holder of an inactive license is prohibited from engaging in any activity for which a license is required. Existing law defines "board" for these purposes to include, unless expressly provided otherwise, a bureau, commission, committee, department, division, examining committee, program, and agency. This bill would additionally authorize any of the boards within the department to establish by regulation a system for a retired category of license for persons who are not actively engaged in the practice of their profession or vocation. The bill would require that regulation to include specified provisions, including that a retired license be issued to a person with either an active license or an inactive license that was not placed on inactive status for disciplinary reasons. The bill also would prohibit the holder of a retired license from engaging in any activity for which a license is required, unless the board, by regulation, specifies the criteria for a retired licensee to practice his or her profession. The bill would authorize a board upon its own determination, and would require a board upon receipt of a complaint from any person, to investigate the actions of any licensee, including, among others, a person with a license that is retired or inactive. The bill would not apply to a board that has other statutory authority to establish a retired license.