BILL ANALYSIS
AB 797
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 797 (Ma)
As Amended May 4, 2009
Majority vote
BUSINESS & PROFESSIONS 10-0 APPROPRIATIONS 15-0
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|Ayes:|Hayashi, Emmerson, |Ayes:|De Leon, Nielsen, |
| |Conway, Eng, Hernandez, | |Ammiano, |
| |Nava, Niello, | |Charles Calderon, Davis, |
| |John A. Perez, Ruskin, | |Duvall, Fuentes, Hall, |
| |Smyth | |Harkey, John A. Perez, |
| | | |Price, Skinner, Solorio, |
| | | |Audra Strickland, |
| | | |Torlakson |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Requires the California Board of Accountancy (CBA) to
publish disciplinary decisions on its Web site for a period of
10 years. Specifically, this bill requires:
1)CBA to publish disciplinary decisions against a certified
public accountant, public accountant, accountancy partnership,
or accountancy corporation for a period of at least 10 years
from the date the decision was issued.
2)Published disciplinary decisions to be accessible by the name
of the accountant, partnership, or corporation that is the
subject of the decision.
EXISTING LAW provides for the licensing and regulation of
accountants and accounting firms by CBA; and, prohibits a person
from engaging in the practice of public accountancy in this
state unless he or she holds either a license issued by CBA.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, workload costs associated with this legislation are
minor and absorbable within existing CBA resources.
COMMENTS : According to the author's office, "Current policy of
the California Board of Accountancy is to post a summary of
disciplinary decisions on its website for a period of seven
AB 797
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years. This bill would require the CBA to post the full text of
its disciplinary decisions for a period of ten years. This
would increase consumer protection by providing the full text of
the disciplinary decisions so that all proven allegations are
readily available and a full description of the proven
allegations can be accessed easily and for a longer period of
time."
The documents related to a pending accusation against a licensee
are considered a public record and obtainable upon request to
any of the 43 consumer protection entities in the Department of
Consumer Affairs.
As a matter of administrative policy, the CBA publishes the
final documents of final disciplinary decisions on its Web site
for a minimum of seven years, but in some cases may publish that
information indefinitely.
Analysis Prepared by : Ross Warren / B. & P. / (916) 319-3301
FN:
0000890