Well, it is starting all over again. The California Legislature is back in Session and has already introduced nearly 2,500 bills.
We are in the process of reviewing these newly introduced bills to identify those that are of interest to the architectural profession.
For example, our friends at the American Council of Engineering Companies California (ACEC CA) are trying again to modify the indemnification/duty-to-defend law that essentially requires A&E firms to serve as insurance companies for legal services to their clients. Last year’s bill, SB 885, passed the State Senate but was never heard in the State Assembly. With the help of the AIACC, there were over 1,000 contacts between Members and their Legislators in support of SB 885.
This year’s bill, SB 423, which was introduced on February 15, does not yet contain specific language, but we anticipate the language will benefit the architectural profession and will once again ask the Membership to lobby their legislators to vote for it.
And, for the third year in a row, a bill has been introduced to impose a sales tax on services. Like SB 423 above, this year’s sales tax bill, SB 640, does not contain specific language. But if the past words of the author, Senator Bob Hertzberg, are any indication, SB 640 will apply to architectural services. The AIACC will actively oppose this proposal, and will ask the Membership to voice its opinion to their Legislators.
In the coming weeks there will be much more to report. Until then, please feel free to contact our Director of Legislative Affairs Mark Christian, Hon. AIACC, at 916-642-1708 or mchristian@aiacc.org if you have any questions or comments.
