Existing law establishes in the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency the Department of Real Estate to license and regulate real estate licensees, and the Department of Consumer Affairs, which is composed of various boards that license and regulate various businesses and professions.
This bill would authorize the Department of Real Estate and boards under the jurisdiction of the Department of Consumer Affairs to waive the application of certain provisions of the licensure requirements that the board or department is charged with enforcing for licensees and applicants impacted by a declared federal, state, or local emergency or whose home or business is located in a declared disaster area, including certain examination, fee, and continuing education requirements. The bill would exempt impacted licensees of boards from, among other requirements, the payment of duplicate license fees. The bill would require all applicants and licensees of the Department of Real Estate or boards under the Department of Consumer Affairs to provide the board or department with an email address. The bill would prohibit a contractor licensed pursuant to the Contractors State License Law from engaging in private debris removal unless the contractor has one of specified license qualifications or as authorized by the registrar of contractors during a declared state of emergency or for a declared disaster area. The bill would require the Real Estate Commissioner, upon the declaration of a state of emergency, to determine the nature and scope of any unlawful, unfair, or fraudulent practices, as specified, and provide specified notice to the public regarding those practices. The bill would authorize the commissioner to suspend or revoke a real estate license if the licensee makes an unsolicited offer to an owner of real property to purchase or acquire an interest in the real property for an amount less than the fair market value of the property or interest of the property if the property is located in a declared disaster area, and would also make a violation of that provision a misdemeanor. By creating a new crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Statutes affected:
SB 641: 122 BPC, 136 BPC, 10176 BPC
02/20/25 - Introduced: 122 BPC, 136 BPC, 10176 BPC