Department of Consumer Affairs: licensing: applicants who are descendants of slaves.

Assembly Member Elhawary, joined by a bipartisan coalition of legislators, proposes expediting professional licensing applications for certified descendants of American slaves through California's Department of Consumer Affairs licensing boards. The measure would take effect upon implementation of a certification process by the Bureau for Descendants of American Slavery, which would be established through separate legislation (SB 518).

The expedited licensing provision would apply across all boards under the Department of Consumer Affairs, paralleling existing expedited processes for military spouses and domestic partners. Under the proposed framework, applicants who obtain certification as descendants of American slaves would receive priority processing of their professional license applications. The measure includes a built-in sunset clause, automatically repealing these provisions either four years after implementation or by January 1, 2032, whichever occurs first.

The bill's operation depends on two key conditions: the enactment of companion legislation establishing the Bureau for Descendants of American Slavery, and that Bureau's subsequent implementation of a certification process. Once these conditions are met, licensing boards would be required to modify their application procedures to accommodate expedited processing for certified applicants.