BILL NUMBER: SB 907	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  MARCH 24, 2014
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MARCH 6, 2014

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Monning

                        JANUARY 22, 2014

   An act to add Sections 1297.18 and 1297.19 to  , and to repeal
Article 2 (commencing with Section 1297.351) of Chapter 7 of Title
9.3 of Part 3 of,  the Code of Civil Procedure, relating to
international commercial disputes.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 907, as amended, Monning. International commercial disputes:
representation and assistance.
   Existing  law, the International Commercial Arbitration
and Conciliation Act,   law  includes provisions
that govern arbitration and conciliation proceedings for
international commercial disputes. Existing law authorizes the
parties in a conciliation proceeding to appear in person or be
represented or assisted by any person of their choice, and provides
that a person representing or assisting a party is not required to be
a member of the legal profession or licensed to practice law in
California.
   This bill would  make these provisions  
recast the provision  regarding representation and assistance of
parties  , thus making the provision  applicable to any
arbitration or conciliation proceeding conducted pursuant to the
statutory provisions that govern arbitration and conciliation of
international commercial disputes. The bill would express the intent
of the Legislature to promote California's interest in becoming a
major center for international commercial arbitration, and would
require the act to be construed liberally in order to effectuate that
intent.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
   (1) The  International Commercial Arbitration and
Conciliation Act was   statutes governing the
arbitration and conciliation of international commercial disputes
were  enacted in 1988 to recognize, support, and promote the
benefits of international  commercial  arbitration and
conciliation in California.
   (2) California's robust, internationally oriented economy and
concentration of large companies occupying positions of global
leadership make California an ideal venue for international
commercial arbitration.
   (3) The economic benefits of being a center for international
commercial arbitration are substantial, broadly based, and
distributed across both state and municipal levels.
   (b) Therefore, it is the intent of the Legislature that the
 International Commercial Arbitration and Conciliation Act
  statutes governing the arbitration and conciliation of
international commercial disputes  be broadly construed so as
to promote California's interest in becoming a major center for
international commercial arbitration.
  SEC. 2.  Section 1297.18 is added to the Code of Civil Procedure,
to read:
   1297.18.  In any proceeding or procedure conducted pursuant to
this title, the parties may appear in person or be represented or
assisted by any person of their choice. A person representing or
assisting a party need not be a member of the legal profession or
licensed to practice law in California.
  SEC. 3.  Section 1297.19 is added to the Code of Civil Procedure,
to read:
   1297.19.  This title shall be construed liberally in order to
effectuate its legislative intent. The purposes of this title and all
of its provisions with respect to powers granted shall be broadly
interpreted to effectuate that intent and purposes and not as to any
limitation of powers.
   SEC. 4.    Article 2 (commencing with Section
1297.351) of Chapter 7 of Title 9.3 of Part 3 of the   Code
of Civil Procedure   is repealed.