Architects Practice Act.

Existing law, the Architects Practice Act, establishes the California Architects Board and sets forth its powers and duties over the licensure and regulation of architecture. Under existing law, a licensed architect who signs and stamps plans, specifications, reports, or documents is not responsible for damage caused by subsequent changes to or uses of those plans, specifications, reports, or documents, where the subsequent changes or uses are not authorized or approved in writing by the licensed architect who originally signed the plans, specifications, reports, or documents, as provided. This bill would additionally provide that a licensed architect is not responsible for damage caused by construction deviating from a permitted set of plans, specifications, reports, or documents. The act explicitly states that a legal duty is not imposed upon an architect who signs and stamps plans, specifications, reports, or documents which relate to the design of fixed works to observe the construction of those fixed works. The law, however, permits the architect to agree with the client to provide construction observation services, which is defined to mean the periodic observation of completed work to determine general compliance with the plans, specifications, reports, or other contract documents. Under existing law, "construction observation services" does not mean the superintendence of construction processes, site conditions, operations, equipment, or personnel, or the maintenance of a safe place to work or any safety in, on, or about the site. This bill would provide that "construction observation services" also does not mean inspection, or determining or defining means or methods.