BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                      AB 1523


                                                                      Page  1





          ASSEMBLY THIRD READING


          AB  
          1523 (Committee on Judiciary)


          As Introduced  March 10, 2015


          Majority vote


           -------------------------------------------------------------------- 
          |Committee       |Votes |Ayes                   |Noes                |
          |----------------+------+-----------------------+--------------------|
          |Judiciary       |8-1   |Mark Stone, Alejo,     |Wagner              |
          |                |      |Chau, Chiu, Gallagher, |                    |
          |                |      |Cristina Garcia,       |                    |
          |                |      |Holden, O'Donnell      |                    |
           -------------------------------------------------------------------- 


          SUMMARY:  Corrects an error regarding lawyer trust accounts.   
          Specifically, this bill substitutes the word "on" for the word  
          "in" with respect to interest-bearing lawyer trust funds.


          EXISTING LAW requires attorneys to establish trust accounts for  
          specified client funds in the manner specified by the State Bar.  




          FISCAL EFFECT:  None


          COMMENTS:  AB 940 (Judiciary Committee), Chapter 129, Statutes of  
          2009, sponsored by the State Bar, codified existing rules and  








                                                                      AB 1523


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          practices regarding client funds in trust accounts, passed both  
          houses unanimously and was signed by the Governor.  Unfortunately,  
          that bill was inadvertently chaptered with a typographical error,  
          using the word "in" when the word "on" was intended with respect  
          to interest rates and dividends.  Because interest and dividends  
          are correctly paid "on" an account, not "in" an account, it would  
          be prudent to correct this error in order to promote compliance  
          and avoid unnecessary confusion.




          Analysis Prepared by:                                               
                          Alison Merrilees / JUD. / (916) 319-2334  FN:  
          0000130