Contractors State License Board: bond deposits: liability for legal fees and costs.

Assembly Member Carrillo's legislation expands protections for the Contractors State License Board by exempting it from liability for legal fees and costs in actions against contractor license bonds and deposits, regardless of when those deposits were filed with the registrar.

The measure builds upon existing requirements that contractors maintain surety bonds or approved deposits with the board's registrar. While current law prohibits charging legal fees against these deposits, the new provisions explicitly shield the board from any legal fee liability in related actions. The bill preserves established procedures for handling claims against deposits, including requirements that funds remain frozen during litigation and that wage-related claims be adjudicated through the Labor Commissioner's office.

For contractors and licensees, the legislation maintains existing bond requirements and claim processes, including the three-year statute of limitations for most actions and shorter timelines for wage-related claims. The measure requires no new appropriations and creates no additional administrative procedures for deposit management or claims processing.