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SACRAMENTO – As we make our way into the new year, CSLB would like to highlight some
construction-related laws that will go into effect January 1. Pay close
attention to these changes, including an extension for seniors’
right to cancel a contract (AB 2471) and the direct authority for the
registrar to take disciplinary action for tree worker safety violations
(AB 2210). These updates, and the others mentioned below, may impact the
way licensees conduct business.
AB 2471 (Maienschein): Extends the right to cancel contracts for persons 65 years of age or older
from three business days to five business days for the following transactions:
home solicitation contracts, home improvement contracts, Property Assessed
Clean Energy assessment contracts, service and repair contracts, and seminar
sales contracts.
(Chapter 158, Statutes of 2020)
AB 1551 (Arambula): Relates to Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing home improvements
through PACE assessment contracts, as regulated by the California Financing
Law and the Streets and Highways Code. AB 1551 prohibits “prepayment
penalties” in PACE assessment contracts and prohibits PACE assessments
on properties with reverse mortgages. This bill also requires the PACE
Financing Estimate and Disclosure be provided to the homeowner in printed,
paper form, unless the property owner signs a printed paper document opting
out of a hard copy; if they opt-out, they may receive the disclosure electronically.
(Chapter 156, Statutes of 2020)
AB 2210 (Aguiar-Curry): Authorizes disciplinary action against a licensed contractor for violations
of tree worker safety regulations administered by the California Division
of Occupational Safety and Health without regard to whether death or serious
injury to an employee resulted from the violation. This bill also extends
the time for the CSLB registrar to bring disciplinary action against a
licensed contractor for violations of the Labor Code or the specified
tree safety regulations from 180 days to 18 months.
(Chapter 128, Statutes of 2020)
AB 3087 (Brough): Authorizes the CSLB registrar to contract with a public or private organization
to administer, and provide services and materials for, CSLB’s contractor
license exams.
(Chapter 295, Statutes of 2020)
SB 865 (Hill): Makes several changes to the Dig Safe Act of 2016, including renaming the
California Underground Facilities Safe Excavation Board to “Dig
Safe Board”; updating requirements about the exchange of information
and records between the Dig Safe Board and regional notification centers
(RNC); requiring that all new subsurface installations use specified mapping
technology; and requiring that an excavator notify the RNC within 48 hours
of discovering or causing damage. The bill also updates some of the enforcement
responsibilities of the Dig Safe Board, including the option to require
that violators take an educational course in lieu of paying a fine.
(Chapter 307, Statutes of 2020)
SB 1189 (McGuire): Creates a new classification of contracting business called “residential
remodeling contracting,” which is defined as projects that make
improvements to, on, or in an existing residential wood frame structure
that use at least three unrelated building trades or crafts for a single
contract; a list of trades is included in the bill. The bill also includes
in the definition of “home improvement” the reconstruction,
restoration, or rebuilding of residential property damaged or destroyed
by a disaster for which either the governor or president has declared
a state of emergency. The bill also expands the type of contracting activity
in a declared disaster zone for which a person without a contractor license
can be prosecuted.
(Chapter 364, Statutes of 2020)
SB 1474 (Committee on Business, Professions and Economic Development): Requires the CSLB registrar to retroactively reinstate an expired contractor
license if a completed license renewal application is received with the
appropriate fees within 90 days of the license expiration date. It also
makes several minor, technical, non-substantive changes to the law.
(Chapter 312, Statutes of 2020)
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