The Department of Consumer Affairs.

(1) Existing law establishes the California Board of Accountancy in the Department of Consumer Affairs for the purpose of licensing and regulating the practice of accountancy. Existing law requires a licensee, in order to be authorized to sign reports on attest engagements, to have completed a minimum of 500 hours of experience in attest services, as specified. This bill would delete an obsolete reference within that provision. Existing law authorizes the board to revoke, suspend, or refuse to renew any public accountancy permit or certificate or censure a permit or certificate holder for unprofessional conduct for various causes, including, among others, discipline by any other state or country, suspension or revocation of the right to practice before any governmental body, or the imposition of discipline on a registered public accounting firm or permit, certificate, or licenseholder by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board or the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. This bill, for the causes identified above, would require the board to rely on findings or events stated in a certified true and correct copy of the disciplinary or other action as conclusive evidence for purposes of determining discipline. Existing law authorizes the board to charge and collect a fee from each applicant for the certificate of certified public accountant, and requires the fee to accompany the application, as specified. This bill would correct a reference contained in that provision. (2) The Barbering and Cosmetology Act provides for the licensure and regulation of barbers, cosmetologists, estheticians, manicurists, electrologists, and apprentices by the State Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, which is within the Department of Consumer Affairs. Under the act, the board is required to mail or deliver to every person failing an examination the total grade received on the examination. The act also grants an unsuccessful applicant for licensure, after taking an examination and within 90 days after the results thereof have been declared, the right to inspect his or her examination paper. This bill would delete the provision that grants an unsuccessful applicant the right to inspect his or her examination paper. The bill would also delete the option for the board to mail a person his or her total grade received on a failed examination. (3) Existing law, the California Private Postsecondary Education Act of 2009, provides, among other things, for student protections and regulatory oversight of private postsecondary institutions in the state. The act is enforced by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education within the Department of Consumer Affairs. This bill would make nonsubstantive, clarifying changes to specified provisions of the act, including updating cross-references.