Published: 2015-07-08
Key Benefits:
(a) The board shall fix the annual membership fee for active members for 2015 at a sum not exceeding three hundred fifteen dollars ($315).
(b) The annual membership fee for active members is payable on or before the first day of February of each year. If the board finds it appropriate and feasible, it may provide by rule for payment of fees on an installment basis with interest, by credit card, or other means, and may charge members choosing any alternative method of payment an additional fee to defray costs incurred by that election.
(c) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2016, and, as of that date, is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2016, deletes or extends that date.
(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 429, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 2015. Repealed as of January 1, 2016, by its own provisions.)
(a) The board shall increase each of the annual membership fees fixed by Sections 6140 and 6141 by an additional forty dollars ($40), to be allocated only for the purposes established pursuant to Section 6033, except to the extent that a member elects not to support those activities.
(b) The invoice provided to members for payment of the annual membership fee shall provide each member the option of deducting forty dollars ($40) from the annual membership fee if the member elects not to have this amount allocated for the purposes established pursuant to Section 6033.
(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 429, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 2015.)
(a) The invoice provided to members for payment of the annual membership fee shall provide each member the option of deducting five dollars ($5) from the annual fee if the member elects not to support lobbying and related activities by the State Bar outside of the parameters established by the United States Supreme Court in Keller v. State Bar of California (1990) 496 U.S. 1.
(b) For the support or defense of lobbying and related activities conducted by the State Bar on or after January 1, 2000, outside of the parameters of Keller v. State Bar of California, and in support or defense of any litigation arising therefrom, the Board of Trustees of the State Bar shall not expend a sum exceeding the following: the product of the number of members paying their annual dues who did not elect the optional deduction multiplied by five dollars ($5).
Moneys collected pursuant to this section shall not be deemed voluntary fees or funds for the purpose of subdivision (c) of Section 6031.5.
(c) As used in this section, “lobbying and related activities by the State Bar” includes the consideration of measures by the Board of Trustees of the State Bar that are deemed outside the parameters established in Keller v. State Bar, the purview determination, lobbying and the preparation for lobbying of the measures, and any litigation in support or defense of that lobbying. The determination of these costs shall include, but not be limited to, overhead and administrative costs.
(Amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 417, Sec. 46. Effective January 1, 2012.)
The State Bar annually shall submit its proposed baseline budget for the following fiscal year to the Legislature by November 15, and its proposed final budget by February 15, so that the budget can be reviewed and approved in conjunction with any bill that would authorize the imposition of membership dues. Each proposed budget shall include the estimated revenues, expenditures, and staffing levels for all of the programs and funds administered by the State Bar. Any bill that authorizes the imposition of membership dues shall be a fiscal bill and shall be referred to the appropriate fiscal committees; provided, however, that the bill may be approved by a majority vote.
The State Bar shall submit the budget documents in a form comparable to the documents prepared by state departments for inclusion in the Governor’s Budget and the salaries and wages supplement. In addition, the bar shall provide supplementary schedules detailing operating expenses and equipment, all revenue sources, any reimbursements or interfund transfers, fund balances, and other related supporting documentation. The bar shall submit budget change proposals with its final budget, explaining the need for any differences between the current and proposed budgets.
(Amended by Stats. 1992, Ch. 1296, Sec. 1. Effective September 30, 1992.)
The board shall complete and implement a five-year strategic plan to be updated every two years. In conjunction with the submission of the board’s proposed final budget as required by Section 6140.1, the president shall report to the Supreme Court, the Governor, and the Senate and Assembly Committees on Judiciary on the measures the board has taken to implement the strategic plan and shall indicate the measures the board will need to take in the remaining years of the strategic plan to address the projected needs contained in the plan.
(Added by Stats. 2011, Ch. 417, Sec. 47. Effective January 1, 2012.)
The State Bar shall review its workload standards to measure the effectiveness and efficiency of its disciplinary activities, including, but not limited to, the State Bar Court and the Client Security Fund, and provide guidance to the State Bar and the Legislature in allocating resources. The standards shall be used to reassess the numbers and classifications of staff required to conduct the activities of the State Bar’s disciplinary activities. The review shall cover the calendar years of 1998, 1999, and 2000. The State Bar shall submit a report to the Legislature on its review of workload standards by June 30, 2001.
(Amended by Stats. 2000, Ch. 246, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 2001.)
The State Bar shall set as a goal the improvement of its disciplinary system so that no more than six months will elapse from the receipt of complaints to the time of dismissal, admonishment of the attorney involved, or the filing of formal charges by the State Bar Office of Trial Counsel.
(Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 193, Sec. 6. Effective January 1, 2005.)
The State Bar shall have a preference for using in-house employees for information technology projects, whenever possible. Nothing in this section shall be read to be inconsistent with any memorandum of understanding between the State Bar and the recognized employee organizations or any relevant principles of labor law.
(Added by Stats. 2010, Ch. 2, Sec. 3. Effective January 25, 2010.)
(a) The board shall establish and administer a Client Security Fund to relieve or mitigate pecuniary losses caused by the dishonest conduct of active members of the State Bar, Foreign Legal Consultants registered with the State Bar, and attorneys registered with the State Bar under the Multijurisdictional Practice Program, arising from or connected with the practice of law. Any payments from the fund shall be discretionary and shall be subject to regulation and conditions as the board shall prescribe. The board may delegate the administration of the fund to the State Bar Court, or to any board or committee created by the board of trustees.
(b) Upon making a payment to a person who has applied to the fund for payment to relieve or mitigate pecuniary losses caused by the dishonest conduct of an active member of the State Bar, the State Bar is subrogated, to the extent of that payment, to the rights of the applicant against any person or persons who, or entity that, caused the pecuniary loss. The State Bar may bring an action to enforce those rights within three years from the date of payment to the applicant.
(c) Any attorney whose actions have caused the payment of funds to a claimant from the Client Security Fund shall reimburse the fund for all moneys paid out as a result of his or her conduct with interest, in addition to payment of the assessment for the procedural costs of processing the claim, as a condition of continued practice. The reimbursed amount, plus applicable interest and costs, shall be added to and become a part of the membership fee of a publicly reproved or suspended member for the next calendar year. For a member who resigns with disciplinary charges pending or a member who is suspended or disbarred, the reimbursed amount, plus applicable interest and costs, shall be paid as a condition of reinstatement of membership.
(d) Any assessment against an attorney pursuant to subdivision (c) that is part of an order imposing a public reproval on a member or is part of an order imposing discipline or accepting a resignation with a disciplinary matter pending, may also be enforced as a money judgment. This subdivision does not limit the power of the Supreme Court to alter the amount owed or to authorize the State Bar Court, in the enforcement of a judgment under this subdivision, to approve an agreement for the compromise of that judgment.
(Amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 417, Sec. 48. Effective January 1, 2012.)
The board may increase the annual membership fees fixed by it pursuant to Section 6140 by an additional amount per active member not to exceed forty dollars ($40), and the annual membership fees fixed by it pursuant to Section 6141 by an additional amount per inactive member not to exceed ten dollars ($10), in any year, the additional amount to be applied only for the purposes of the Client Security Fund and the costs of its administration, including, but not limited to, the costs of processing, determining, defending, or insuring claims against the fund.
(Amended by Stats. 2005, Ch. 341, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 2006.)
The board may increase the annual membership fees fixed by Sections 6140 and 6141 by an additional amount not to exceed twenty-five dollars ($25) to be applied to the costs of the disciplinary system.
(Amended by Stats. 2005, Ch. 341, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 2006.)
Costs assessed against a member publicly reproved or suspended, where suspension is stayed and the member is not actually suspended, shall be added to and become a part of the membership fee of the member, for the next calendar year. Unless time for payment of discipline costs is extended pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 6086.10, costs assessed against a member who resigns with disciplinary charges pending or by a member who is actually suspended or disbarred shall be paid as a condition of reinstatement of or return to active membership.
(Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 529, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 2005.)
Moneys for the support of the program established pursuant to Article 15 (commencing with Section 6230) and related programs approved by the committee established pursuant to Section 6231 shall be paid in whole or part by a fee of ten dollars ($10) per active member per year, and by a fee of five dollars ($5) per inactive member per year.
The board may seek alternative sources for funding the program. To the extent that funds from alternative sources are obtained and used for the support of the program, and provided that at least ten dollars ($10) per active member and five dollars ($5) per inactive member is available for support of the program each year, funds provided by the fee established by this section may be applied to the costs of State Bar general fund programs.
(Amended by Stats. 2005, Ch. 341, Sec. 6. Effective January 1, 2006.)
(a) Until December 31, 2006, the board shall fix the annual membership fee for inactive members at a sum not exceeding sixty-five dollars ($65). On January 1, 2007, and thereafter, the board shall fix the annual membership fee for inactive members at a sum not exceeding seventy-five dollars ($75). The annual membership fee for inactive members is payable on or before the first day of February of each year.
(b) An inactive member shall not be required to pay the annual membership fee for inactive members for any calendar year following the calendar year in which the member attains the age of 70 years.
(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 348, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2013.)
(a) The payment by any member of the annual membership fee, any portion thereof, or any penalty thereon, may be waived by the board as it may provide by rule. The board may require submission of recent federal and state income tax returns and other proof of financial condition as to those members seeking waiver of all or a portion of their fee or penalties on the ground of financial hardship.
(b) The board shall adopt a rule or rules providing that an active member who can demonstrate total gross annual individual income from all sources of less than forty thousand dollars ($40,000) shall presumptively qualify for a waiver of 25 percent of the annual membership fee.
(Amended by Stats. 2005, Ch. 341, Sec. 8. Effective January 1, 2006.)
Upon the payment of the annual membership fees, including any costs imposed pursuant to Section 6140.7, and penalties imposed pursuant to Section 6143, each member shall receive a certificate issued under the direction of the board evidencing the payment.
(Amended by Stats. 1988, Ch. 1149, Sec. 6.)
Any member, active or inactive, failing to pay any fees, penalties, or costs after they become due, and after two months written notice of his or her delinquency, shall be suspended from membership in the State Bar.
The member may be reinstated upon the payment of accrued fees or costs and such penalties as may be imposed by the board, not exceeding double the amount of delinquent dues, penalties, or costs.
(Amended by Stats. 1988, Ch. 1149, Sec. 7.)
Any member, active or inactive, failing to pay any child support after it becomes due shall be subject to Section 17520 of the Family Code.
(Amended by Stats. 2000, Ch. 808, Sec. 2. Effective September 28, 2000.)
All fees shall be paid into the treasury of the State Bar, and, when so paid, shall become part of its funds.
(Added by Stats. 1939, Ch. 34.)
The net proceeds from the sale or lease of real property, after payment of obligations and encumbrances and reasonable costs of acquiring and relocating its facilities, if any, shall be held by the State Bar without expenditure or commitment for any purpose until approved by the Legislature by statute.
(Added by Stats. 2014, Ch. 429, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 2015.)
It is the intent of the Legislature to confirm, validate, and declare effective the annual membership fees, and all augmentations, including, but not limited to, those made under Sections 6140.3 and 6140.6, fixed and collected by the board for 1990, and all other acts arising from and related thereto.
(Added by Stats. 1990, Ch. 1639, Sec. 16.)
(a) The board shall engage the services of an independent national or regional public accounting firm with at least five years of experience in governmental auditing for an audit of its financial statement for each fiscal year. The financial statement shall be promptly certified under oath by the Treasurer of the State Bar, and a copy of the audit and financial statement shall be submitted within 120 days of the close of the fiscal year to the board, to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and to the Assembly and Senate Committees on Judiciary.
The audit shall examine the receipts and expenditures of the State Bar and the State Bar sections to ensure that the receipts of the sections are being applied, and their expenditures are being made, in compliance with subdivision (a) of Section 6031.5, and that the receipts of the sections are applied only to the work of the sections.
The audit also shall examine the receipts and expenditures of the State Bar to ensure that the funds collected on behalf of the Conference of Delegates of California Bar Associations as the independent successor entity to the former Conference of Delegates of the State Bar are conveyed to that entity, that the State Bar has been paid or reimbursed for the full cost of any administrative and support services provided to the successor entity, including the collection of fees or donations on its behalf, and that no mandatory dues are being used to fund the activities of the successor entity.
In selecting the accounting firm, the board shall consider the value of continuity, along with the risk that continued long-term engagements of an accounting firm may affect the independence of that firm.
(b) The board shall contract with the California State Auditor’s Office to conduct a performance audit of the State Bar’s operations from July 1, 2000, to December 31, 2000, inclusive. A copy of the performance audit shall be submitted by May 1, 2001, to the board, to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and to the Assembly and Senate Committees on Judiciary.
Every two years thereafter, the board shall contract with the California State Auditor’s Office to conduct a performance audit of the State Bar’s operations for the respective fiscal year, commencing with January 1, 2002, to December 31, 2002, inclusive. A copy of the performance audit shall be submitted within 120 days of the close of the fiscal year for which the audit was performed to the board, to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and to the Assembly and Senate Committees on Judiciary.
For the purposes of this subdivision, the California State Auditor’s Office may contract with a third party to conduct the performance audit. This subdivision is not intended to reduce the number of audits the California State Auditor’s Office may otherwise be able to conduct.
(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 281, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2013.)