Legal document assistants and unlawful detainer assistants.

Existing law provides for the regulation of legal document assistants and unlawful detainer assistants and requires a legal document assistant or unlawful detainer assistant to be registered by the county clerk in the county where their principal place of business is located and where they maintain a branch office. Existing law requires the Department of Consumer Affairs to develop the required application for a person to register as a legal document assistant. Existing law makes a failure to comply with specified requirements imposed on legal document assistants and unlawful detainer assistants a crime. This bill would require a legal document assistant or unlawful detainer assistant to file with the Secretary of State a disclosure form that contains specified information, a copy of a valid and current photo identification, and a photograph of themselves, as specified. The bill would require a legal document assistant or unlawful detainer assistant to notify the Secretary of State's office in writing within 30 days of specified events. The bill would require the Secretary of State to post information on its internet website specified information received from a legal document assistant or unlawful detainer assistant and to charge and collect a filing fee to cover the cost of administering these provisions. By expanding the crime of perjury and imposing new requirements on legal document assistants and unlawful detainer assistants, the violation of which is a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.