BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2540
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CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 2540 (Dababneh)
As Amended August 5, 2014
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |78-0 |(May 15, 2014) |SENATE: |34-0 |(August 7, |
| | | | | |2014) |
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Original Committee Reference: B., P. & C.P.
SUMMARY : Requires real estate brokers and salespersons to
provide a valid telephone number and mailing and email addresses
to the Real Estate Commissioner (Commissioner) and to keep that
information updated, and requires the Bureau of Real Estate
(BRE), if it chooses to release such contact information, to
release it in a manner that discourages unauthorized use.
Specifically, this bill :
1)Requires an applicant for a real estate broker license
examination and for a real estate broker license to provide
valid contact information at which BRE may contact the
applicant.
2)Authorizes the Commissioner to prescribe the format and
content of the application for the real estate salesperson
license, and requires the applicant to provide valid contact
information at which BRE may contact the applicant.
3)Requires licensed real estate brokers and real estate
salespersons to provide the Commissioner with his or her
current office or mailing address, a current phone number, and
a current email address that he or she maintains or uses to
perform any activity that requires a real estate license, at
which BRE may contact the licensee, and to inform the
Commissioner of any change to the licensee's office, mailing
address, phone number, or email address no later than 30 days
after making the change.
4)Declares that a violation of these requirements is not a
misdemeanor.
5)Declares that BRE is not required to post or publish the
collected email addresses or telephone numbers, and requires
AB 2540
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that, if the bureau does release that information, it must be
released in a way that discourages its use in unauthorized or
unsolicited commercial electronic mail advertisement programs.
6)Makes other technical and clarifying amendments.
The Senate amendments :
1)Declare that a violation of the requirements of this bill is
not a misdemeanor.
2)Declare that BRE is not required to post or publish the
collected email addresses or telephone numbers, and requires
that, if the bureau does release that information, it must be
released in a way that discourages its use in unauthorized or
unsolicited commercial electronic mail advertisement programs.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, negligible state costs.
COMMENTS :
1)Purpose of this bill. This bill requires real estate brokers
and real estate salespersons to supply BRE with a valid email
address, mailing address, and telephone number, requires
license applicants to similarly provide valid contact
information, and requires licensees to inform the Commissioner
of any change in that contact information within 30 days of
the change. The ultimate aim is to lower BRE's postal mail
transaction costs and increase communication efficiency
between licensees and BRE. This bill is sponsored by the
California Association of Realtors.
2)Author's statement. According to the author, "This bill would
empower [BRE] to require licensees to supply a valid email
address as part of their license application or renewal
materials. Currently, [BRE] has less than 15,000 valid e-mail
addresses -- out of a licensee population of over 400,000.
Due to state budget constraints, the BRE no longer mails out
the Real Estate Bulletin to licensees. Instead, the BRE posts
the Bulletin on their website and e-mails it to the few
available email addresses."
AB 2540
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Analysis Prepared by : Hank Dempsey / B., P. & C.P. / (916)
319-3301
FN: 0004503