An act to amend Sections 9873 and 19170 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to consumer affairs.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.
Section 9873 of the Business and Professions Code, as amended by Section 19 of Chapter 428 of the Statutes of 2014, is amended to read:
9873.
The fees prescribed by this chapter shall be set by the director by regulation, according to the following schedule:
(a) (1) The initial registration fee for an electronic repair industry service dealer or for an appliance repair industry service dealer is not more than two hundred five dollars ($205) for each place of business in this state. The initial registration fee for a service contractor is not more than ninety-five dollars ($95) for each place of business in this state.
(2) The initial registration fee for a person who engages in business as both an electronic repair industry service dealer and an appliance repair industry service dealer is not more than four hundred five dollars ($405) for each place of business in this state. The initial registration fee for a person who is a service contractor and engages in business as either an electronic repair industry service dealer or an appliance repair industry service dealer is not more than three hundred dollars ($300) for each place of business in this state.
(3) The initial registration fee for a person who engages in both the electronic repair industry and the appliance repair industry as a service dealer and is a service contractor is not more than five hundred dollars ($500) for each place of business in this state.
(4) A service dealer or service contractor who does not operate a place of business in this state, but engages in the electronic repair industry, the appliance repair industry, or sells, issues, or administers service contracts in this state shall pay the registration fee specified herein as if he or she had a place of business in this state.
(b) (1) The annual registration renewal fee for an electronic repair industry service dealer or for an appliance repair industry service dealer is not more than two hundred five dollars ($205) for each place of business in this state, if renewed prior to its expiration date. The annual registration renewal fee for a service contractor is ninety-five dollars ($95) for each place of business in this state, if renewed prior to its expiration date.
(2) The annual renewal fee for a service dealer who engages in the business as both an electronic repair industry service dealer and an appliance repair industry service dealer is not more than four hundred dollars ($400) for each place of business in this state.
(3) The annual renewal fee for a service dealer who engages in the electronic repair industry and the appliance repair industry and is a service contractor is not more than four hundred seventy-five dollars ($475) for each place of business in this state.
(4) A service dealer or service contractor who does not operate a place of business in this state, but who engages in the electronic repair industry, the appliance repair industry, or sells or issues service contracts in this state shall pay the registration fee specified herein as if he or she had a place of business in this state.
(c) The delinquency fee is an amount equal to 50 percent of the renewal fee for a license in effect on the date of renewal of the license, except as otherwise provided in Section 163.5.
(d) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2019, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, which is enacted before January 1, 2019, deletes or extends that date.
(e) Notwithstanding any other law, the director shall not adopt any regulation to increase any fee provided for in this section before January 1, 2017.
SEC. 2.
Section 9873 of the Business and Professions Code, as amended by Section 20 of Chapter 428 of the Statutes of 2014, is amended to read:
9873.
The fees prescribed by this chapter shall be set by the director by regulation, according to the following schedule:
(a) The initial registration fee for an electronic repair industry service dealer or for an appliance repair industry service dealer is not more than two hundred five dollars ($205) for each place of business in this state. The initial registration fee for a person who engages in business as both an electronic repair industry service dealer and an appliance repair industry service dealer is not more than four hundred five dollars ($405).
(b) The annual registration renewal fee for an electronic repair industry service dealer or for an appliance repair industry service dealer is not more than two hundred five dollars ($205) for each place of business in this state, if renewed prior to its expiration date. The annual renewal fee for a service dealer who engages in the business as both an electronic repair industry service dealer and an appliance repair industry service dealer is not more than four hundred dollars ($400).
(c) The delinquency fee is an amount equal to 50 percent of the renewal fee for a license in effect on the date of renewal of the license, except as otherwise provided in Section 163.5.
(d) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2019.
SEC. 3.
Section 19170 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:
19170.
(a) The fee imposed for the issuance and for the biennial renewal of each license granted under this chapter shall be set by the chief, with the approval of the director, at a sum not more nor less than that shown in the following table:
Maximum
fee
Minimum
fee
Importer’s license ........................
$940
$120
Furniture and bedding manufacturer’s
license ........................
940
120
Wholesale furniture and bedding
dealer’s license ........................
675
120
Supply dealer’s license ........................
675
120
Custom upholsterer’s license ........................
450
80
Sanitizer’s license ........................
450
80
Retail furniture and bedding dealer’s license ........................
300
40
Retail furniture dealer’s license ........................
150
20
Retail bedding dealer’s license ........................
150
20
(b) Individuals who, in their own homes and without the employment of any other person, make, sell, advertise, or contract to make pillows, quilts, quilted pads, or comforters are exempt from the fee requirements imposed by subdivision (a). However, these individuals shall comply with all other provisions of this chapter.
(c) Retailers who only sell “used” and “antique” furniture as defined in Sections 19008.1 and 19008.2 are exempt from the fee requirements imposed by subdivision (a). Those retailers are also exempt from the other provisions of this chapter.
(d) A person who makes, sells, or advertises upholstered furniture and bedding as defined in Sections 19006 and 19007, and who also makes, sells, or advertises furniture used exclusively for the purpose of physical fitness and exercise, shall comply with the fee requirements imposed by subdivision (a).
(e) A person who has paid the required fee and who is licensed either as an upholstered furniture and bedding manufacturer or a custom upholsterer under this chapter shall not be required to additionally pay the fee for a sanitizer’s license.

Summary: Existing law, the Electronic Appliance Repair Dealer Registration Law and the Home Furnishings and Thermal Insulation Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of, among others, electronic appliance and repair dealers, upholstered furniture and bedding retailers, and upholstered furniture and bedding wholesalers by the Bureau of Electronic and Appliance Repair, Home Furnishings, and Thermal Insulation and makes a failure to comply with its provisions a crime. Existing law establishes the bureau under the supervision and control of the Director of Consumer Affairs. Existing law requires the director to administer and enforce those provisions relating to the licensure and regulation of electronic and appliance repair service dealers and persons engaged in various businesses associated with home furnishings. Existing law also requires the director to set certain fees by regulation.
Existing law establishes the maximum amount for the initial registration fee for each place of business in the state of an electronic repair industry service dealer, an appliance repair industry service dealer, a service contractor, a person who is engaged in business as both an electronic repair industry service dealer and appliance repair industry service dealer, a service contractor who is engaged in business as either an electronic repair industry service dealer or an appliance industry service dealer, and a service contractor who engages in both the electronic repair industry and the appliance repair industry as a service dealer. Existing law requires a service dealer or service contractor who does not operate a place of business in the state, but engages in at least some of these activities in the state to pay these fees as if he or she had a place of business in the state.
This bill would increase the maximum amounts of the initial registration fees for each of the above described persons, as specified, but would prohibit the director from adopting regulations to increase these fees before January 1, 2017.
Existing law also establishes, among other things, the maximum amount for the annual registration renewal fee for each place of business for an electronic repair industry service dealer, an appliance repair industry dealer, a service contractor, and a service dealer who is engaged in business as both an electronic repair industry service dealer and an appliance repair industry service dealer.
This bill would increase the maximum amount for each of these annual registration renewal fees, as specified, but would prohibit the director from adopting regulations to increase these fees before January 1, 2017.
Existing law also requires the chief of the bureau, with the approval of the director, to set, within specified maximum and minimum amounts, the license issuance and biennial renewal fees for an importer, furniture and bedding manufacturer, wholesale furniture and bedding dealer, supply dealer, custom upholsterer, sanitizer, retail furniture and bedding dealer, retail furniture dealer, and retail bedding dealer.
This bill would increase the maximum amount for each of these issuance and biennial renewal fees, as specified.