(a) A contract or proposed contract for the provision of a consumer service by a licensee regulated by a licensing board shall not include a provision limiting the consumer’s ability to file a complaint with that board or to participate in the board’s investigation into the licensee.
(b) Any waiver of the provisions of this section is contrary to public policy, and is void and unenforceable.
(c) For purposes of this section, the following terms apply:
(1) “Consumer service” means any service that is obtained for use primarily for personal, family, or household purposes.
(2) “Licensing board” means any entity described in Section 101 of the Business and Professions Code, the State Bar of California, the Department of Real Estate, or any other state agency that issues a license, certificate, or registration authorizing a person to engage in a business or profession.
(d) Violation of this section by a licensee shall constitute unprofessional conduct subject to discipline by the licensee’s licensing board.
(Added by Stats. 2020, Ch. 312, Sec. 98. (SB 1474) Effective January 1, 2021.)