BILL ANALYSIS SB 1491 Page 1 Date of Hearing: August 4, 2010 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Felipe Fuentes, Chair SB 1491 (Business, Professions and Economic Development) - As Amended: June 16, 2010 Policy Committee: Business and Professions Vote: 11 - 0 Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: Yes Reimbursable: No SUMMARY This bill amends various provisions pertaining to the regulatory boards under the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) and professions regulated in the Business and Professions Code (BPC). Specifically, this bill: 1)Makes the following changes to the Board for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors: a) Allows applicants for certification as an engineer-in-training to qualify using engineering education, engineering experience, or a combination of engineering education and experience totaling three years. b) Prohibits licensure examination fees administered by a public or private organization from being greater than the actual cost of the development and administration of the examination and permits the fee to be paid directly to the organization. 2)Extends the time for Contractors State License Board (CSLB) to pursue a complaint against an unlicensed contractor to 18 months after the complaint is filed, conforming to the same timeframe for action against a licensee. 3)Permits guide dog schools and instructors licensed by the Board of Guide Dogs for the Blind (BGDB) to provide in-home training, without BGDB's authorization. 4)Provides that cremated remains may be placed into "keepsake SB 1491 Page 2 urns" and kept as authorized by those with the right to control their disposition, requires a disposition permit to be obtained for each keepsake urn, and makes conforming and clarifying changes. 5)Repeals obsolete provisions of law requiring a crematory to be associated with a cemetery, columbarium, burial park, or mausoleum, as specified. 6)Makes other technical and clarifying changes. FISCAL EFFECT There are no significant costs associated with this legislation. COMMENTS Purpose . This bill is the Senate Professions and Economic Development Committee's annual omnibus bill that consolidates a number of non-controversial provisions related to various regulatory programs and professions governed by the Business and Professions Code. Consolidating the provisions in one bill is designed to relieve the various licensing boards, bureaus and professions from the necessity and burden of having separate measures for a number of non-controversial revisions. As a committee bill, this measure is jointly authored by each of the members of the committee. As such it is a consensus bill. If controversy or opposition should arise regarding any provision in this bill that cannot be resolved, then that provision will be removed from the bill. Analysis Prepared by : Julie Salley-Gray / APPR. / (916) 319-2081