[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6555411,"mediaKeyId","3353949-b152b96f9ab9c855c48706658bf950ed","parentId",3353949,"title","CSLB discusses pathways to construction careers for justice-involved individuals and licensure eligibility rules","audioSeconds",768,"startMs",4324000,"endMs",5092000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3353949-b152b96f9ab9c855c48706658bf950ed&start=4324&end=5092","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3353949-b152b96f9ab9c855c48706658bf950ed/thumbnail_4324000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6555411/California/CSLB-discusses-pathways-to-construction-careers-for-justice-involved-individuals-and-licensure-eligibility-rules","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6555411-a9260ac480860b21b36a35a5dc169836/orig.mp4?Expires=1771184870&Signature=ga~EIzINZQAjD4MIy1sEvsVrkQufHo4aTWzPzU6zYM-GqKGkLAtZ-zF-WMNnOFrFK3KxQJ2as1AgHFAjDQJn1Dw~rrfz~gPtTccUwqF6wHCJCGKxqX1kzDclOGQRZC4XUTw71G2Zcm3OMmu2nxyccKlDyn6E2e5ZGROoAkC39QgJE-IivME26g13sbYpcOyyfnPwPY71E-2rK~jbUxMOjcSW2mhhmbUq0O0VdEEGnBnhrcLPqPBXtsj7ER27l22VQAu6jhelbf3DmYf36zxs6eKqEWuOFyECvpwFJAvDGMaUFjzfsJ-5Sf1pk3OV4~nFsgpxhrDE1DNGTxw-z43sNQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Contractors State License Board","date","2025-05-16T05:37:03Z","article","At its May 15 public affairs committee meeting the Contractors State License Board reviewed how licensure eligibility is evaluated for applicants with criminal convictions and discussed outreach to help justice-involved individuals pursue construction careers after release.

Licensing Chief Carol Gagnon explained the background-check and review process. \"All licensed applicants and officers must be fingerprinted as part of the application process,\" Gagnon said, adding fingerprints are sent to the FBI and Department of Justice and records are reviewed by CSLB staff. She described CSLB’s rehabilitation framework: applicants with misdemeanor convictions may be considered rehabilitated after three years and felony convictions after seven years, subject to review of factors such as compliance with parole or probation, restitution, consistent work history and testimony or documents that bear on fitness for licensure.

Gagnon and other staff said there are no convictions that automatically bar licensure in all circumstances, but certain convictions may be grounds for denial under statute — for example serious felonies as described in Penal Code section 1192.7, registration requirements under Penal Code section 290, or financial crimes — and that denied applicants may seek an administrative hearing (a \"statement of issues\" process) before an administrative law judge.

Committee members and guests described available re‑entry training and apprenticeship pathways. Staff said some justice-involved individuals participate in California prison authority career-technical programs and pre‑apprenticeship curricula such as NC3 (noted by a committee member), and that partnering with trade unions, nonprofit organizations and contractors can help individuals gain journey-level experience while awaiting any statutory time limits for licensure. Committee member Joseph Preciado and guest Jacob Lopez described union and nonprofit programs that support recruiting and placement.

Board staff noted practical considerations: many justice-involved applicants delay formal license applications until statutory waiting periods expire, then pursue experience with licensed contractors to meet experience requirements; others may use the administrative-appeal process if a denial is issued. Staff proposed bringing an item to the full board to consider additional outreach steps to inform reentry programs about construction-career pathways.

There were no formal committee votes on this item; the chair asked staff to include the discussion in the committee summary report to the full board.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","CSLB Licensing and Public Affairs Committee Meetings 5-15-2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Contractors State License Board public affairs committee reviewed how licensing rules apply to applicants with criminal convictions, described rehabilitation-review criteria and suggested outreach linking prison pre‑apprenticeship programs with contractors and unions.","taxTitle","Contractors State License Board, Other State Agencies, Executive, California","taxId",76729,"location","California","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6555416,"CSLB committee debates renaming \"Find My Licensed Contractor\" to \"Find a Licensed Contractor\" to reduce confusion",441,3859000,4300000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3353949-b152b96f9ab9c855c48706658bf950ed&start=3859&end=4300","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3353949-b152b96f9ab9c855c48706658bf950ed/thumbnail_3859000.jpg","/articles/6555416/California/CSLB-committee-debates-renaming-Find-My-Licensed-Contractor-to-Find-a-Licensed-Contractor-to-reduce-confusion","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6555416-7aced7f1472ef2d243703bc8642fff03/orig.mp4?Expires=1771184870&Signature=mRR7DnpAC51IbRSakHWzbnj7HV6PAUZVkG4W5wKbKEnSvGLJUIJxPKwR2z2iuFIrn~2h1yI07qNEcU5ynPSvy~eUE6UKMXveqU-QPiPbln3SRVOVDbiI44-wlDuR91O7Vmk8M8sZ6L04YviM1r9ylmrLShg03u0epQXL5ZM458MSKJb8jK8BMfhciEWPOgW87er4MRu1wOxj8IO6B-34HMIgeXgr9bniD3KtE5Ex0v8RNRg5rVeK8pivPAwJiPlP2kAR-JZtG~nNeJBXfmjID99OnhQu1SCyc7TsVentxC5LfOyg9UpXX7ZuRTZ1YE70mal4iZBOzi2dAG5yayvKcQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Members of the Contractors State License Board public affairs committee discussed May 15 whether to change the name of the site search feature \"Find My Licensed Contractor\" to \"Find a Licensed Contractor,\" saying the current name can be confusing and the change would require updates across the site and public data portal.

Public Affairs Chief Catherine White explained the feature’s history and use: launched in January 2018 to help consumers find contractors and for contractors to search for subcontractors, it drew nearly 2 million page views in 2024 and is among the board’s top 10 pages. \"If the community committee chooses to move forward with changing it, staff will need to update the various locations on the website with this brand,\" White said, noting backend dependencies and references from the public data portal and disaster help center.

Committee chair Diana Love said she proposed the name change because \"it sounded like when you go to 'Find My Contractor' that you were looking for the contractor that you were currently using instead of finding a contractor,\" and asked whether name changes would be limited to text. White replied that changing the label is not the only work required; search results and portal references also include the existing branding and would need updates. Committee members and outside stakeholders described how contractors use the feature for subcontractor searches as well as consumer searches and suggested improvements such as clearer filters for license classification and ZIP-code or address-based searches.

Committee members did not take a vote at the meeting; Chair Love said she would include the item in the report to the full board for consideration. There were no public comments during the discussion.","Committee members discussed renaming the site feature to make it clearer for consumers and contractors, noted the feature’s heavy usage and backend dependencies across the site, and agreed to place the item on the full board agenda for consideration.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6555421,"CSLB public affairs reports plain-language edits, website updates and wildfire disaster help center improvements",169,3562000,3731000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3353949-b152b96f9ab9c855c48706658bf950ed&start=3562&end=3731","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3353949-b152b96f9ab9c855c48706658bf950ed/thumbnail_3562000.jpg","/articles/6555421/California/CSLB-public-affairs-reports-plain-language-edits-website-updates-and-wildfire-disaster-help-center-improvements","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6555421-7e2f887c38b5ad2897ba64cbda6ba7d8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771184870&Signature=K5t-1vh7~70T2lshpGtzAJM71h3QyEkbdeXrBVPjAttJ-iSwqm-WKFIbaz0NsdBNR5ekfdBnm8kLKIlI9yOww5Fs45tA-jBwVh98-7nvb03Ts-BLyf2qXCfQKNLtorybUzP1A0ssaFv5OqAkdLKWfBTxRIuXl-W3fxHFgA0f35ONcr07P9maKn8DPddd5hUSQUpcvY-rzH96Y-prd1570tgIEJHa03Ntw0oc8DbRiJbPHsIoRO6cTUUrDwK5N~UneHG2E4XDQFW1gcOpdF2a1DuZaW5xQHPXWNFW6GowiCQJ47JBuwsddyZ31HrE8IXHyiDD9CCVD-r2sEVJXKSxMA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Contractors State License Board public affairs committee reported May 15 on efforts to use plainer language in board communications, make the CSLB website more user friendly, and strengthen the disaster help center that lists contractors willing to bid on wildfire recovery work.

Public Affairs Chief Catherine White said staff have been reviewing press releases, industry bulletins and outreach presentations to \"determine where plain language edits need to be made,\" with the goal of making materials more conversational and understandable. She said staff also review outreach used in senior seminars and licensing workshops and will prioritize publications the committee identifies for revision.

On the website, White said CSLB is coordinating with the Department of Consumer Affairs on an eventual site redesign to create a uniform look across boards and bureaus; that redesign currently has no target date. Meanwhile, public affairs staff have made the disaster help center more prominent on the CSLB home page, added a green button linking directly to the page, and updated content to list contractors who have informed CSLB they are interested in debris-removal bids. The disaster help center also includes consumer-protection tips on researching contractors and cautions about paying for uncompleted work.

White said staff plan to survey more than 50,000 general building contractors with a business address in the Los Angeles basin to identify contractors interested in wildfire bidding; contractors that express interest will be added to the disaster help center listing. Public affairs staff are also considering updates to the \"Find My Licensed Contractor\" function to improve usability.

Committee members had no public comments during this agenda segment and did not take formal action during the update. Staff said they will continue website reviews and return to the committee with prioritized items for revision.

No formal motions were made on the website or communications items during the meeting.","The Contractors State License Board public affairs committee reviewed work to simplify communications, a Department of Consumer Affairs website redesign timeline, and enhancements to a disaster help center used by wildfire survivors and contractors.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6555426,"CSLB licensing committee details plan to expand exam translations, continuing education rules and certification guidance",1522,268000,1790000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3353949-b152b96f9ab9c855c48706658bf950ed&start=268&end=1790","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3353949-b152b96f9ab9c855c48706658bf950ed/thumbnail_268000.jpg","/articles/6555426/California/CSLB-licensing-committee-details-plan-to-expand-exam-translations-continuing-education-rules-and-certification-guidance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6555426-51c8fd38ff6897db637f25c7a09407d2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771184870&Signature=iCBtpsGq13gS5T9EwqA7G94tux-muRSewa6P2UxxMjfYw-K468GkNcpcgY3~zyHAKbHQ9-ESHd6P90Ry7o~2BmEwz~Dv2qzsb5ekCFsJIcOT8DUuYoYtwWDusGm3hk319nM6T6WqeaqvleWnrqheGMHYFWlux9c~JBB9F5pVNIZoBIw295SHH~DeIUpz4zvmW4mqURePECueKhv7CrjTvRsgHmkmeHzgfroMNY97HgUKlvIMV1AjpuCtZBF18DsfGGIFIjv4pxIW6uVXyi~81d2DZpGgKR0YMqBTwtoJxdqVs1o62r2-uB2FkvDd12MEhJAbdXQjXCmDMpKRI0FI-Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Contractors State License Board licensing committee on May 15 updated the board on four licensing-and-testing strategic-plan items: addressing language barriers, drafting regulations for continuing education tied to disciplinary authority, the process for assessing and updating exam content, and educating licensees about required and optional certifications.

Committee chair Jim Rwayne called the discussion to review strategic items 1.1, 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6 and asked Licensing Chief Carol Gagnon to describe current work on language access. \"CSLB currently provides the following items in languages other than English,\" Gagnon said, noting staff have prioritized Spanish translations because of higher demand. She said the board offers exam study guides and 10 of its most popular exams in Spanish, runs a monthly Spanish \"get license to build\" workshop, has staff certified to translate documents to Spanish and uses a Department of Consumer Affairs contract for larger translations. Public Affairs Chief Catherine White added that disaster-response materials and other consumer-facing documents have been translated into Chinese and other languages as needed.

The committee heard staff recommendations to survey new applicants monthly to identify other language needs, to expand the set of exams translated into Spanish, to translate more forms and study materials, and to pursue an additional bilingual position in the Exam Development Unit (EDU) to support Spanish exams. When asked whether consumer surveys will be used to measure impact, Gagnon said consumer checks have not yet been conducted but are under consideration.

On continuing education, Regulation Manager Tracy Bridal told the committee staff has begun drafting a regulatory package to update California Code of Regulations sections 870 and 871 to allow regulations requiring continuing education tied to existing disciplinary authority. Bridal said the Office of Administrative Law approval process typically takes about two years and staff will present updates at future board meetings. Staff also plan to expand an online training/resources page for contractors and to coordinate a survey on available training with other strategic planning items.

Carol Gagnon described EDU's approach to exam updates. EDU updates each trade exam on a roughly five‑year cycle, working with subject-matter experts (SMEs) and using job-audit interviews, occupational-analysis surveys (sent to either the full population or a sample of up to 3,000 licensees), item statistics and code-review workshops timed to major code updates. \"The exam development unit currently updates every exam every 5 years,\" Gagnon said, and described a process that includes writing new items, setting cut scores, pretesting, and ongoing maintenance between cycles. EDU has six exam specialists supporting 48 trade exams; staff said first-time pass rates are tracked separately from overall pass-rate statistics, which can be skewed by repeat takers.

On certifications, staff said CSLB lists two board-issued certifications on license records — asbestos and hazardous-substance removal — and that other certifications may be issued by trade associations or other agencies and can differ in scope from CSLB trade descriptions (for example, state fire marshal sprinkler fitter certification vs. CSLB C-16 fire protection contractor scope). Staff proposed a sample survey of active licensed contractors asking about government-required and optional certifications, adding notice language to issuance letters about possible additional required certifications, and adding certification information to study guides or the license search page.

Committee members asked about survey response rates for EDU outreach (staff said responses vary by trade, from as little as about 8% up to 38%, and that samples of 50+ responses or 10%+ yield usable statistics), about engaging trade associations and unions for references and SME recruitment, and about whether the board can re-evaluate exam content between five‑year cycles using item statistics. EDU staff said they continuously monitor item statistics and will pull or revise items that perform poorly in pretesting.

The committee received no public comments during the licensing discussion. The licensing-and-testing update concluded with staff saying they would bring drafts of surveys and proposed regulatory text to the committee for review.

The licensing committee did not take formal action during this informational update; it gathered information for a summary report to the full board.","At a May 15 remote meeting, the Contractors State License Board licensing committee reviewed four strategic-plan items: expanding non‑English exam materials (focused on Spanish), drafting regulations to require continuing education, the five‑year exam review process, and efforts to educate licensees about certifications.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

CSLB discusses pathways to construction careers for justice-involved individuals and licensure eligibility rules

CSLB committee debates renaming "Find My Licensed Contractor" to "Find a Licensed Contractor" to reduce confusion

CSLB public affairs reports plain-language edits, website updates and wildfire disaster help center improvements

CSLB licensing committee details plan to expand exam translations, continuing education rules and certification guidance