SB-861
Consumer Protection

Consumer affairs.

Introduced
CA
2025-2026 Regular Session
0
0
Track

Key Takeaways

  • Expands online disclosure requirements for licensed professionals to include hydrolysis and funeral facilities.
  • Requires fingerprinting for State Board of Chiropractic Examiners license applicants to enhance public safety.
  • Updates distance education rules to focus on faculty-student location separation rather than institution location.
  • Streamlines licensing fees and requirements across multiple professional boards and educational institutions.

Summary

The Senate Committee on Business, Professions and Economic Development proposes comprehensive updates to California's consumer protection framework through modifications to professional licensing requirements, educational standards, and regulatory oversight mechanisms. The legislation makes technical amendments across multiple regulatory bodies while expanding transparency requirements and modernizing operational standards.

The bill revises online disclosure requirements for the Cemetery and Funeral Bureau to include information about licensed hydrolysis and reduction facilities. It adds the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners to agencies required to obtain fingerprints from license applicants for criminal background checks. For the Dental Board of California, it replaces the requirement for a registered dental hygienist member with a second registered dental assistant member.

In educational oversight, the bill redefines distance education as instruction transmitted to students at locations separate from faculty, rather than from the institution. It modifies teach-out provisions to address both institutional and program closures. The legislation requires private postsecondary institutions to maintain complete and accurate permanent student records and provide current catalogs and performance fact sheets prior to enrollment.

For professional licensing boards, the bill updates requirements for speech-language pathologists and audiologists, including examination standards and temporary licensing provisions. It modifies contractor licensing by exempting inactive licenses from workers' compensation requirements and revising fee assessment procedures for disciplinary actions. The legislation also clarifies that making investigative records available to the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services does not violate attorney-client privilege or work product protections.

The bill eliminates outdated provisions, including requirements for the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education to establish certain task forces and evaluate specific reporting requirements. It also updates terminology, replacing "National Conference on Weights and Measures" with "National Council on Weights and Measures" throughout relevant sections.

Key Dates

Next Step
Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Judiciary
Next Step
Senate Committee
Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Judiciary
Hearing scheduled for , 1021 O Street, Room 2100
Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Hearing
Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Hearing
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
Senate Floor
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Contacts

Profile
Anna CaballeroD
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Roger NielloR
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Benjamin AllenD
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Eloise ReyesD
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Scott WienerD
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
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Profile
Anna CaballeroD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Roger NielloR
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Benjamin AllenD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Eloise ReyesD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Scott WienerD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Henry SternD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Maria DurazoD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Tom UmbergD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
John LairdD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Akilah Weber PiersonD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Angelique AshbyD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Aisha WahabD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Suzette ValladaresR
Senator
Committee Member

Similar Past Legislation

Bill NumberTitleIntroduced DateStatusLink to Bill
SB-1526
Consumer affairs.
March 2024
Passed
SB-1451
Professions and vocations.
February 2024
Passed
SB-887
Consumer affairs.
March 2023
Passed
Professions and vocations.
March 2022
Passed
Business and professions.
February 2021
Passed
Business and professions.
March 2020
Passed
Healing arts.
February 2018
Passed
Professions and vocations.
February 2018
Passed
Professions and vocations.
February 2017
Passed
Professions and vocations: weights and measures.
February 2017
Passed
Showing 10 of 10 items
Page 1 of 1

Get Involved

Act Now!

Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

Introduced By

10% progression
Bill has been formally introduced and read for the first time in its house of origin (3/13/2025)

Latest Voting History

Invalid DateTime
PASS
Senate Committee
Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Hearing
AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
110011PASS

Key Takeaways

  • Expands online disclosure requirements for licensed professionals to include hydrolysis and funeral facilities.
  • Requires fingerprinting for State Board of Chiropractic Examiners license applicants to enhance public safety.
  • Updates distance education rules to focus on faculty-student location separation rather than institution location.
  • Streamlines licensing fees and requirements across multiple professional boards and educational institutions.

Get Involved

Act Now!

Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

Introduced By

Summary

The Senate Committee on Business, Professions and Economic Development proposes comprehensive updates to California's consumer protection framework through modifications to professional licensing requirements, educational standards, and regulatory oversight mechanisms. The legislation makes technical amendments across multiple regulatory bodies while expanding transparency requirements and modernizing operational standards.

The bill revises online disclosure requirements for the Cemetery and Funeral Bureau to include information about licensed hydrolysis and reduction facilities. It adds the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners to agencies required to obtain fingerprints from license applicants for criminal background checks. For the Dental Board of California, it replaces the requirement for a registered dental hygienist member with a second registered dental assistant member.

In educational oversight, the bill redefines distance education as instruction transmitted to students at locations separate from faculty, rather than from the institution. It modifies teach-out provisions to address both institutional and program closures. The legislation requires private postsecondary institutions to maintain complete and accurate permanent student records and provide current catalogs and performance fact sheets prior to enrollment.

For professional licensing boards, the bill updates requirements for speech-language pathologists and audiologists, including examination standards and temporary licensing provisions. It modifies contractor licensing by exempting inactive licenses from workers' compensation requirements and revising fee assessment procedures for disciplinary actions. The legislation also clarifies that making investigative records available to the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services does not violate attorney-client privilege or work product protections.

The bill eliminates outdated provisions, including requirements for the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education to establish certain task forces and evaluate specific reporting requirements. It also updates terminology, replacing "National Conference on Weights and Measures" with "National Council on Weights and Measures" throughout relevant sections.

10% progression
Bill has been formally introduced and read for the first time in its house of origin (3/13/2025)

Key Dates

Next Step
Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Judiciary
Next Step
Senate Committee
Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Judiciary
Hearing scheduled for , 1021 O Street, Room 2100
Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Hearing
Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Hearing
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
Senate Floor
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Latest Voting History

Invalid DateTime
PASS
Senate Committee
Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Hearing
AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
110011PASS

Contacts

Profile
Anna CaballeroD
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Roger NielloR
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Benjamin AllenD
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Eloise ReyesD
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Scott WienerD
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
0 of 13 row(s) selected.
Page 1 of 3
Select All Legislators
Profile
Anna CaballeroD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Roger NielloR
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Benjamin AllenD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Eloise ReyesD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Scott WienerD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Henry SternD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Maria DurazoD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Tom UmbergD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
John LairdD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Akilah Weber PiersonD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Angelique AshbyD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Aisha WahabD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Suzette ValladaresR
Senator
Committee Member

Similar Past Legislation

Bill NumberTitleIntroduced DateStatusLink to Bill
SB-1526
Consumer affairs.
March 2024
Passed
SB-1451
Professions and vocations.
February 2024
Passed
SB-887
Consumer affairs.
March 2023
Passed
Professions and vocations.
March 2022
Passed
Business and professions.
February 2021
Passed
Business and professions.
March 2020
Passed
Healing arts.
February 2018
Passed
Professions and vocations.
February 2018
Passed
Professions and vocations.
February 2017
Passed
Professions and vocations: weights and measures.
February 2017
Passed
Showing 10 of 10 items
Page 1 of 1