BILL ANALYSIS Ó SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair 2015 - 2016 Regular Session AB 2486 (Baker) - Contractors' State License Board: license search by location ----------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |--------------------------------+--------------------------------| | | | |Version: April 25, 2016 |Policy Vote: B., P. & E.D. 9 - | | | 0 | | | | |--------------------------------+--------------------------------| | | | |Urgency: No |Mandate: No | | | | |--------------------------------+--------------------------------| | | | |Hearing Date: August 1, 2016 |Consultant: Brendan McCarthy | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- This bill does not meet the criteria for referral to the Suspense File. Bill Summary: AB 2486 would require the Contractors State License Board to allow the public to search for a licensed contractor by zip code or geographic indicator. Fiscal Impact: One-time costs of $90,000 to $100,000 to perform the required upgrades to the Board's IT systems and website to allow geographic searching for licensed contractors (Contractors License Fund). Depending on the internal IT workload at the Board, the Board would either use its existing staff or contract out to make the necessary changes to meet the requirements of the bill. Background: Under current law, the Contractors State License Board licenses and regulates contractors in the state, including both AB 2486 (Baker) Page 1 of ? individuals and businesses. Under current law, any construction project that costs more than $500 must be performed by a licensed contractor. The Board currently licenses about 290,000 contractors. Currently, members of the public can use the Board's website to search for a contractor by personal name, business name, or license number - to ensure that a contractor is licensed and to view any disciplinary actions against a licensed contractor. Members of the public cannot search for licensed contractors in their area, because the Board's website does not allow for searches based on location. The Board's Strategic Plan includes an goal to develop a feature to allow searches for a contractor by geographic location, but the Board has not implemented that goal. Proposed Law: AB 2486 would require the Contractors State License Board to allow the public to search for a licensed contractor by zip code or geographic indicator. The Board would be required to comply with this requirement by January 1, 2019. -- END --