(a) Any of the boards within the department may establish, by regulation, a system for a retired category of licensure for persons who are not actively engaged in the practice of their profession or vocation.
(b) The regulation shall contain the following:
(1) A retired license shall be issued to a person with either an active license or an inactive license that was not placed on inactive status for disciplinary reasons.
(2) The holder of a retired license issued pursuant to this section shall not engage in any activity for which a license is required, unless the board, by regulation, specifies the criteria for a retired licensee to practice his or her profession or vocation.
(3) The holder of a retired license shall not be required to renew that license.
(4) The board shall establish an appropriate application fee for a retired license to cover the reasonable regulatory cost of issuing a retired license.
(5) In order for the holder of a retired license issued pursuant to this section to restore his or her license to an active status, the holder of that license shall meet all the following:
(A) Pay a fee established by statute or regulation.
(B) Certify, in a manner satisfactory to the board, that he or she has not committed an act or crime constituting grounds for denial of licensure.
(C) Comply with the fingerprint submission requirements established by regulation.
(D) If the board requires completion of continuing education for renewal of an active license, complete continuing education equivalent to that required for renewal of an active license, unless a different requirement is specified by the board.
(E) Complete any other requirements as specified by the board by regulation.
(c) A board may upon its own determination, and shall upon receipt of a complaint from any person, investigate the actions of any licensee, including a person with a license that either restricts or prohibits the practice of that person in his or her profession or vocation, including, but not limited to, a license that is retired, inactive, canceled, revoked, or suspended.
(d) Subdivisions (a) and (b) shall not apply to a board that has other statutory authority to establish a retired license.
(Added by Stats. 2016, Ch. 473, Sec. 1. (AB 2859) Effective January 1, 2017.)