Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Professional Licensing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
LATC weighs retired-license option; staff caution about potential revenue loss
Summary
Committee members heard a staff briefing on a possible retired-license category. Staff cautioned that the California Architects Board previously saw unexpected uptake when a low retired fee was offered and that establishing a retired category would likely require legislative authority and a fiscal study.
LATC members discussed whether to pursue a retired-license option similar to categories used by other professional boards.
LATC staff said the California Architects Board (CAB) previously approved a $40 retired-license fee after determining the fee by regulation; when CAB reissued retired licenses the program unexpectedly drew more than 1,000 applicants and produced about $1 million in ongoing lost renewal revenue. "We retired over a thousand licenses once we started reissuing them again. And that cost us, I think, ongoing about a million dollars in lost revenue," staff said.
Staff explained LATC does not currently have statutory authority to create a retired-license category and would need a legislative change to add such a status; if the committee favored pursuing the option staff would prepare fiscal analyses and, if needed, a legislative request. Committee members raised concerns about revenue impacts given current fund levels and questioned the practical benefit if retired holders cannot practice.
Public commenters including a representative of the California Council of the American Society of Landscape Architects (CCASLA) and an instructor from UCLA Extension spoke briefly; CCASLA said it had not yet taken a position and asked the committee to study the issue further, while the UCLA representative said she did not support the change at this time.
Committee members did not take a formal position. Staff will prepare additional research and cost estimates if the committee requests further analysis.
