(Menjivar D) Department of Consumer Affairs: licensee and registrant records: name and gender changes.

Current Text: Amended: 3/20/2023 

Status: 9/23/2023-Approved by the Governor. Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 225, Statutes of 2023.
3/29/2023-Set for hearing April 18.

Summary: Existing law establishes in the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency the Department of Consumer Affairs. Existing law establishes various boards within the department for the licensure, regulation, and discipline of various professions and vocations. Existing law defines “board” for purposes of the Business and Professions Code to include bureau, commission, committee, department, division, examining committee, program, and agency, unless otherwise expressly provided.

This bill would require a board to update a licensee’s or registrant’s records, including records contained within an online license verification system, to include the licensee’s or registrant’s updated legal name or gender if the board receives government-issued documentation, as described, from the licensee or registrant demonstrating that the licensee or registrant’s legal name or gender has been changed. The bill would require the board to remove the licensee’s or registrant’s former name or gender from its online license verification system and treat this information as confidential. The board would be required to establish a process to allow a person to request and obtain this information, as prescribed. The bill would require the board, if requested by a licensee or registrant, to reissue specified documents conferred upon, or issued to, the licensee or registrant with their updated legal name or gender. The bill would prohibit a board from charging a higher fee for reissuing a document with a corrected or updated legal name or gender than the fee it charges for reissuing a document with other corrected or updated information. This bill contains other existing laws.