AB 1379: Certified access specialist program: funding.

(1)Existing law requires the State Architect to establish and publicize a program for voluntary certification by the state of any person who meets specified criteria as a certified access specialist (CASp), as provided. Existing law, on and after January 1, 2013, and until December 31, 2017, inclusive, requires that any applicant for an original or renewal of a local business license or equivalent instrument or permit to pay an additional fee of $1 for that license, instrument, or permit, to be collected by the city, county, or city and county that issued the license, instrument, or permit.

This bill would extend the operation of this fee indefinitely and, on and after January 1, 2018, and until December 31, 2023, increase the amount from $1 to $4. The bill would revert the amount of the fee back to $1 on and after January 1, 2024. The bill, in any city, county, or city and county that does not issue a business license or an equivalent instrument or permit, would require an applicant for a building permit to pay an additional fee of $4 on and after January 1, 2018, and until December 31, 2023, and an additional fee of $1 on and after January 1, 2024, for the building permit, to be collected by the city, county, or city and county that issued the building permit.

(2)Existing law requires that the city, county, or city and county retain 70% of the fees collected under the above-described provision, to be used to, among other things, fund increased CASp services in that jurisdiction for the public, thereby making an appropriation. Existing law requires that the remaining 30% of the fees be transmitted on a quarterly basis to the Division of the State Architect for deposit in the Disability Access and Education Revolving Fund, a continuously appropriated fund.

This bill, on and after January 1, 2018, and until December 31, 2023, inclusive, would require the city, county, or city and county to instead retain 90% of the fees collected. The bill would revert the amount retained back to 70% on and after January 1, 2024. The bill would also require the moneys retained by the city, county, or city and county to instead be deposited in a special fund, established by the city, county, or city and county to be known as the CASp Certification and Training Fund, and used for increased CASp training and certification within that local jurisdiction, thereby making an appropriation by expanding the purposes for which the retained fee moneys are required to be spent.

By extending the operation of fees deposited in the Disability Access and Education Revolving Fund, thereby increasing the amount of money in a continuously appropriated fund, this bill would make an appropriation.

(3)By extending the operation of the above-described fee, thereby requiring local officials to collect and allocate these revenues beyond December 31, 2018, this 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, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.