[{"_1":2,"_119":-5,"_120":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_33":34},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":-5,"_21":22,"_23":24,"_25":10,"_26":-5,"_27":-5,"_28":10,"_29":30},"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",{},"themePreference","themeResolved","light","recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","viewportHint",{"_31":10,"_32":10},"isMobile","isNarrow","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_35":36,"_37":38},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[39,83,95,107],{"_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,"_76":77,"_78":79,"_80":81,"_82":81},"mediaId",6485124,"mediaKeyId","5477867-900a9ddef257c7d9f55b6123a4977172","parentId",5477867,"title","Board takes positions on several bills; watchers for interpreter and descendant-of-slavery proposals","audioSeconds",2888,"startMs",3311000,"endMs",6199000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5477867-900a9ddef257c7d9f55b6123a4977172&start=3311&end=6199","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soaraistudio.com/5477867-900a9ddef257c7d9f55b6123a4977172/thumbnail_3311000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6485124/California/Board-takes-positions-on-several-bills-watchers-for-interpreter-and-descendant-of-slavery-proposals","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soaraistudio.com/6485124-8ff874c8c10041eef716f616526d09de/orig.mp4?Expires=1790425591&Signature=gPakkhsyKyA-I9315PmvhHIYznPmcFFTd1BQeYdEt1QVyRi9E-eA9YKNd7uXqZuU4~dmXvZ7TXYn4~OgX3sD3-gFiBMqnfU6ZeG2T32FCZ-Oi0tCcETGH96xvoDf-x9usOqjf67xdhuZI1u-X56t7Etr4Hto5JURCh6NA6Df8z4dZ43zAVah1v49JwUeRyxmiqMFwzuT-L9NPMjxf8K39GgPfZkQWfs05qlZBB10H-Sal1dWlmz65U8hFSQo0aI-Oi4mRgdia4V2G3Jkhjskye9OC3-aAjShJYHo2pEJELTwe6846rCKyzM-40sUGbxMftyA0pYye5xRDYXpkrE9yw__&Key-Pair-Id=K7X1XW2O9MH81","author","Respiratory Care Board of California","date","2025-07-25T19:50:54.98Z","article","The board considered a package of legislative items and recorded motions and votes on committee positions.

Key outcomes (Votes at a glance)

- AB 667 (interpreter access for exams, amended 07/08/2025): The board voted to take a watch position. Staff noted the July 8 amendments limit the requirement to examinations when the contract for administration permits an interpreter; the board’s vendor contracts do not currently permit interpreters for national/computer-based exams, so staff recommended watch to monitor future changes.

- AB 671 (self-certifying building improvement permits, amended 07/09/2025): The board voted to take a watch position. Staff and the author discussed language to define accountability when a professional certifier signs a self-certification; the board will continue to work with legislative staff on technical language.

- AB 742 (expedited licensing for descendants of American slavery, amended 07/02/2025) and related SB 518 (establishing a bureau to verify descendant status): The board voted to take watch positions on both bills. Staff noted the bills are linked: AB 742’s implementation depends on the verification processes proposed in SB 518.

- AB 1341 (addressing unlicensed activity and information-sharing with the Contractors State License Board, amended 07/02/2025): The board voted to support the bill. Staff noted the bill formalizes an information-sharing mechanism that has been in informal use and is intended to allow the Contractors State License Board to consider disciplinary referrals related to unlicensed practice.

- SB 861 (Senate omnibus technical cleanup including land-survey related edits, amended 06/30/2025): The board voted to support the bill; staff said the amendments add a date field to a land-survey certificate to align with other date-and-seal requirements.

- SB 470 (teleconferencing/Brown Act changes) and SB 641 (emergency waiver normalizations) were discussed as informational items; no board action was required at this meeting.

How the board voted: For those bills that required a formal board motion, the motions carried with unanimous affirmative votes from members present. (Motions and seconds were recorded in the meeting minutes for auditability.)

Why it matters: The board’s positions affect how the executive office and staff will engage with bill authors and committee staff. Several bills—especially the interpreter bill and descendant-of-slavery measures—could affect how the board or third parties administer or verify licensing accommodations if they become law.

Ending: Staff will continue to track the bills through the legislative process and return with recommended positions on future amendments.
","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists Meeting- July 24, 2025 - 1 of 2","oneSentenceSummary","The board considered a package of legislative items and recorded motions and votes on committee positions.","taxTitle","Respiratory Care Board of California, Boards and Commissions, Executive, California","taxId",76751,"location","California","headline","","shortSummary",{"_40":84,"_42":43,"_44":45,"_46":85,"_48":86,"_50":87,"_52":88,"_54":89,"_56":90,"_58":91,"_60":92,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":93,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":94,"_74":75,"_76":77,"_78":79,"_80":81,"_82":81},6485139,"Board reports stronger-than-expected revenues but months-in-reserve slip; credit-card fees remain board responsibility",143,264000,407000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5477867-900a9ddef257c7d9f55b6123a4977172&start=264&end=407","https://assets.pipeline.soaraistudio.com/5477867-900a9ddef257c7d9f55b6123a4977172/thumbnail_264000.jpg","/articles/6485139/California/Board-reports-stronger-than-expected-revenues-but-months-in-reserve-slip-credit-card-fees-remain-board-responsibility","https://secure.pipeline.soaraistudio.com/6485139-8e022ce6df3fb8e64dbb54fed8ba1866/orig.mp4?Expires=1790425591&Signature=mbUpIlRlrG7muFu94XXiPj0~7W9QNq1jhH6jCYzBKz~ojN2EDzNpnmPWLZhjENXtcEUcpOVV~tRODxdEVisD2BZAhWprT7PUafKxrkoSPw6ny04NMkljMaMBlpKfXYX0-FrO5fJ2inyXbyS73VP5~PeIOqBDTUs0UW389fzot1pt7iFxXYLWjkcEg74UPcrVyY251xyuGHJ3WToZyYNscCp~8Fm11aYvAgroj2JoPKXjUyMkBmYmXgZqQujg2Ki4PecfzMWwnl~KIaNmmxmo2wPcQZBqQvYlYzyoqjpZf30xhtWDYM7u3TrV5UyR8ACBHgbd9ZTUUwhONwsC9F7jSQ__&Key-Pair-Id=K7X1XW2O9MH81","Dawn Hall, administrative services unit manager for the Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists, told the board that through fiscal month 11 the board had “about $11,600,000 in total revenues,” and that revenues have exceeded the board’s full-year projection largely because of higher initial application and examination fees.

Hall said the board’s fund-condition statement has not yet been updated to reflect the full-year results and that increases in revenue will improve the overall fund balance. She added expenses have risen because of higher Attorney General and Office of Administrative Hearings costs; those increases totaled “just under $141,000,” and the board’s months in reserve fell from 1.7 to 1.6.

The board’s financial presentation emphasized the projections remain conservative. Hall said the multi-year budget projection assumes drawing full delegated budget authority and therefore shows negative reserve positions in later years unless a planned fee increase is implemented. “If we’re unable to achieve our fee increases and increase our revenues and we did expend the full budgetary authority, we would have a negative fund reserve,” Hall said, adding staff do not expect that outcome.

Board members asked for clarification about the fund projections and the composition of the expense increases. Hall said staff are preparing an updated full-year projection and expect to present final 2024–25 results in September or November.

The meeting also included an extended discussion of how licensees pay fees. One attendee asked whether the board could surcharge credit-card transactions to recover the roughly 3 percent processing fee licensees incur. Staff said more than 95 percent of renewal transactions go through the board’s Connect online system and are processed by credit card, and that the board currently does not accept ACH/bank transfers because the current vendor contract and existing system do not support them without additional development or contract changes. Staff said the board has chosen historically to absorb credit-card processing costs rather than pass them through to applicants.

Why it matters: The board’s near-term finances affect the timing and scope of any fee-regulation package and potential requests to the Department of Consumer Affairs to restore reserves. The board will receive updated full-year revenue and expense numbers later this year and continue work on a regulatory package to implement any fee adjustments.

Ending: Staff will return with updated fund-condition statements in a future meeting and said they will continue coordinating with the department on the regulatory steps needed for any fee change. No formal board action was taken on fees at this meeting.
","Dawn Hall, administrative services unit manager for the Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists, told the board that through fiscal month 11 the board had “about $11,600,000 in total revenues,” and that revenues have exceeded the board’s full-year projection largely because of higher initial application and examination fees.",{"_40":96,"_42":43,"_44":45,"_46":97,"_48":98,"_50":99,"_52":100,"_54":101,"_56":102,"_58":103,"_60":104,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":105,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":106,"_74":75,"_76":77,"_78":79,"_80":81,"_82":81},6485129,"Board reviews structural PE exam data as pass rates and exam format prompt changes; pipeline of new structural licenses remains limited",1054,1630000,2684000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5477867-900a9ddef257c7d9f55b6123a4977172&start=1630&end=2684","https://assets.pipeline.soaraistudio.com/5477867-900a9ddef257c7d9f55b6123a4977172/thumbnail_1630000.jpg","/articles/6485129/California/Board-reviews-structural-PE-exam-data-as-pass-rates-and-exam-format-prompt-changes-pipeline-of-new-structural-licenses-remains-limited","https://secure.pipeline.soaraistudio.com/6485129-86e4d7e823a598b0b1926c3d2da7ce11/orig.mp4?Expires=1790425591&Signature=WZDsZBtDxB-fobvOnzgS2Z8RZvHxecuB3pXt4gREiwF8gpLueE6q6Wz5sQiHQ44juxJuvdVkAKZXixTbv~sBWAWnJCANPyfncZ81jDhueJJSdnxSbupZxyz5czfMrIQTIqz2gz4ZPZV~6YpelergxMQsLu4ieHvTQSWxD2YydC42GA8Rf1N2lCOQfYIwIzJ4BxcL3Z4uqt4fjWCkY~FIRpV3pVwCnIMuANXsFe7g6eJMPxxM25sYBLLjCJ2BmoDSCoyAuS6Uned0kAr87oerccodrKoC~P0jYdh97bCELj1Fa6IoRVFRdlRw3I4wPluhkJuG0zwFyVmTtuf6U7p7Zg__&Key-Pair-Id=K7X1XW2O9MH81","Rick (exams and licensing presenter) gave the board a detailed review of structural professional-engineer exam results now available after conversion to computer-based testing. He said the board finally has enough administrations to report component pass rates and urged the board to consider the data in both short-term candidate support and long-term workforce planning.

Rick summarized the historical context: the structural exam moved from paper formats and mixed state/national components to the 16-hour national bridge/building format and more recently to computer-based testing. With CBT, separate scores by component (breadth and depth; vertical and lateral) are available for the first time. Rick said California candidates’ pass rates have generally equaled or exceeded the national average on several breadth and lateral components, but the depth portion showed significantly lower pass rates in some administrations. “Once you start getting below 20% and into the teens, that's problematic,” he said.

Exam vendors’ psychometricians examined early administrations and concluded the depth portion was speeded—candidates of all performance levels were using the full allotted time. NCS/NCWS staff and the vendor are responding: the national exam administrators will add an additional hour for the depth portion beginning with the April administration to address time pressure. Rick said the board will monitor results after the change and that a new occupational-analysis (PAC) study is underway which may prompt further adjustments to test specifications.

The board discussed related workforce concerns. Staff reported the board issued 70 structural-engineer licenses in the last fiscal year, a number board members and public commenters characterized as low relative to the profession’s needs. Public commenters and former board members told the board that an aging workforce, fewer students entering STEM and engineering programs, and the difficulty of the licensure process all contribute to a constrained pipeline of new structural engineers.

Several technical points were raised during questions and public comment: the structural exam has four depth modules (steel, concrete, masonry, wood) and the depth portion typically includes more seismic-focused questions; when the CBT format replaced paper reference books were no longer physically available at each workstation, which added complexity for candidates; pretest items and item-banking of new questions are operational issues for the exam vendor.

Why it matters: The structural licensing pipeline has implications for public safety and for the availability of licensed engineers for projects that require structural or specialty licensing. The board will watch whether the extra hour and forthcoming PAC study materially change depth pass rates.

Ending: Staff will continue to report exam statistics to the board and monitor licensing trends and workforce indicators; no regulatory changes were proposed at this meeting.
","Board staff presented new exam statistics showing California candidates generally above the national pass rate on most structural exam sections but weak performance on the depth portion; psychometric analysis found time pressure, and the national exam body is adding an hour to the depth portion starting April.",{"_40":108,"_42":43,"_44":45,"_46":109,"_48":110,"_50":111,"_52":112,"_54":113,"_56":114,"_58":115,"_60":116,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":117,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":118,"_74":75,"_76":77,"_78":79,"_80":81,"_82":81},6485134,"Enforcement unit reports steady closures, longer AG timelines for formal disciplinary cases",683,872000,1555000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5477867-900a9ddef257c7d9f55b6123a4977172&start=872&end=1555","https://assets.pipeline.soaraistudio.com/5477867-900a9ddef257c7d9f55b6123a4977172/thumbnail_872000.jpg","/articles/6485134/California/Enforcement-unit-reports-steady-closures-longer-AG-timelines-for-formal-disciplinary-cases","https://secure.pipeline.soaraistudio.com/6485134-1b73dc0799204e3c44269f15d351812f/orig.mp4?Expires=1790425591&Signature=AVh4MGQvh0NcE996VX-9c3CEr46O4S1jxJIn44szVYH05XI6z9SSuYfnm8-MJkfFbqqdf9JDQ8QVVoVZ36FL3tMojACdxkuvfTjaectmAO6eVLC24SfIKuHBHxOErb~nQXofsPkBvkCpU9wGOvg2ol9UZkqJifBIebfV-BB2AlOuSqSjjOwtmakJ2-iiLRV52M-TIyYX1Ek2pqwjSZ4lVIYpGHfoWO9CMg2naIJAD87b~VO4UxJTKNcEEjCwWBmHC96PZXdpBdEKjfxt5WJwfEDi4-52bMEgn0K9RzEcPkUxL4rPAbTjKwsyFRdTKd5O4k0M7YJxxC4wTfi18y47jQ__&Key-Pair-Id=K7X1XW2O9MH81","Brooke Grabowski, the board’s enforcement program manager, walked the board through the enforcement statistics in the meeting materials, beginning with the number of complaint investigations opened and completed for each month of the last fiscal year and multi-year totals. “The first page on page 21, this shows the number of complaint investigations that were opened and completed for each of the last 12 months of the fiscal year,” Grabowski said.

Grabowski pointed the board to tables showing pending investigations, average days from opening to completion, age distributions of pending cases, and outcomes for completed investigations (citations, formal disciplinary action, or closures without discipline). The packet also included tables on citations and formal disciplinary actions, with timelines from opening to final action.

Board members praised the unit’s closure rate while asking why the average days from referral for formal disciplinary action to final decision had increased. Grabowski said a small number of cases sent to the Attorney General took much longer to resolve and that those outliers—combined with the relatively small number of formal disciplinary referrals—drive up the average. She clarified that the statistics on these administrative formal actions do not include cases that are in outside courts or at the Supreme Court level.

Several board members noted the increase in the number of complaints, and staff said easier online filing through the Connect complaint form, introduced in 2020, has reduced friction for complainants and likely contributed to higher complaint volumes. Board members also asked whether the increase in citations reflected a change in enforcement threshold; staff said both the absolute number of complaints and the citation percentage increased, and that staff did not have a definitive explanation beyond more complaints and case-level variations.

Why it matters: The enforcement statistics shape the board’s resource needs and budget forecasting and inform questions about whether additional staffing or procedural changes are required to process more complaints or to manage cases that require Attorney General involvement.

Ending: Staff will continue to monitor timelines for AG referrals and return with updates. No formal board policy change was adopted at this meeting.
","The board’s enforcement manager presented monthly and multi-year statistics showing an increase in complaints and a high closure rate; staff said a small number of cases sent for formal disciplinary action to the Attorney General's office account for increases in elapsed time to final decisions.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board takes positions on several bills; watchers for interpreter and descendant-of-slavery proposals

Board reports stronger-than-expected revenues but months-in-reserve slip; credit-card fees remain board responsibility

Board reviews structural PE exam data as pass rates and exam format prompt changes; pipeline of new structural licenses remains limited

Enforcement unit reports steady closures, longer AG timelines for formal disciplinary cases