Code enforcement: financially interested parties.

Existing law provides for code enforcement officers employed by cities and counties who have enforcement authority for health, safety, and welfare requirements. Existing law also provides for county and city health officers to enforce orders and ordinances of the governing body of the county or city, or state statutes pertaining to public health. This bill would prohibit a local official, as defined, who inspects a commercial property or business for compliance with a state statute or regulation or local ordinance from being accompanied during the inspection by a person with a potential financial interest in the outcome of the inspection, as defined, unless the person is the owner of the property or business, is the agent or representative of the owner, is a person who has, or operates under, a specified existing contract with the local government who has been directed by a local official to perform services at the property or business, or is a contractor or consultant, or a designated representative of a contractor or consultant, that is on a publicly available list of qualified bidders that may provide inspection, abatement, or remediation services to, and receive compensation for those services from, the local government, as specified. The bill would additionally prohibit a person who has entered into a contract with a local government for inspection, abatement, or remediation services, who inspects a commercial property or business for compliance with a state statute or regulation or local ordinance without the presence of a local official from soliciting or receiving compensation from the owner to remediate any potential violations of a state statute or regulation or local ordinance found in the course of the inspection, as specified. The bill would include findings that this bill addresses a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair.