Report 2018-030 Recommendation Responses
Report 2018-030: State Bar of California: It Should Balance Fee Increases With Other Actions to Raise Revenue and Decrease Costs (Release Date: April 2019)
Recommendation for Legislative Action
To ensure funding of State Bar's operating costs and those costs associated with adding 19 trial counsel staff and increasing retiree health benefits, the Legislature should set the 2020 licensing fee at $379 for active licensees and $88 for inactive licensees.
Description of Legislative Action
As of September 16, 2022, the Legislature has not taken any additional action to fully implement this recommendation.
AB 3362 (Chapter 360, Statutes of 2020) authorized the State Bar to collect annual license fees of $395 for active licensees and $97.40 for inactive licensees for 2021. SB 176 (Chapter 698, Statutes of 2019) in part required the State Bar Board of Trustees to fix the fee for 2020 at a sum not exceeding $438 for active licenses and a sum not exceeding $108 for inactive licenses.
- Legislative Action Current As-of: November 2022
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: No Action Taken
Description of Legislative Action
AB 3362 (Chapter 360, Statutes of 2020) authorizes the State Bar to collect annual license fees of $395 for active licensees and $97.40 for inactive licensees for 2021. SB 176 (Chapter 698, Statutes of 2019), in part, requires the State Bar Board of Trustees to fix the fee for 2020 at a sum not exceeding $438 for active licenses and a sum not exceeding $108 for inactive licenses.
- Legislative Action Current As-of: April 2021
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Partially Implemented
Description of Legislative Action
SB 176 (Chapter 698, Statutes of 2019), in part requires the State Bar Board of Trustees (board) to fix the fee for 2020 at a sum not exceeding $438 for active licenses and a sum not exceeding $108 for inactive licenses.
Additionally, AB 3362 (Assembly Judiciary Committee) was introduced on March 5, 2020, and, until January 1, 2022, would require the board to charge an annual license fee of up to $395 for active licensees for 2021. The bill would also require the board to charge an annual license fee for inactive licensees of up to $97.40 for inactive licensees on and after January 1, 2021.
- Legislative Action Current As-of: April 2020
California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Partially Implemented
Description of Legislative Action
SB 176 (Chapter 698, Statutes of 2019), in part requires the State Bar Board of Trustees to fix the fee for 2020 at a sum not exceeding $438 for active licenses and a sum not exceeding $108 for inactive licenses.
- Legislative Action Current As-of: November 2019
California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Partially Implemented
Description of Legislative Action
SB 176 (Jackson) would, until January 1, 2021, require the board to charge an annual license fee in an unspecified amount for active licensees at a sum not exceeding $460 for 2020. The bill would require the board to fix the annual license fee for inactive licensees at a sum not exceeding $109.
- Legislative Action Current As-of: June 2019