(a) State agencies shall make available on the Internet, on or after July 1, 2001, unless otherwise authorized by the Department of Information Technology pursuant to Executive Order D-3-99, a plain-language form through which individuals can register complaints or comments relating to the performance of that agency. The agency shall provide instructions on filing the complaint electronically, or on the manner in which to complete and mail the complaint form to the state agency, or both, consistent with whichever method the agency establishes for the filing of complaints.

(b) Any printed complaint form used by a state agency as part of the process of receiving a complaint against any licensed individual or corporation subject to regulation by that agency shall be made available by the agency on the Internet on or after July 1, 2001, unless otherwise authorized by the Department of Information Technology pursuant to Executive Order D-3-99. The agency shall provide instructions on filing the complaint electronically, or on the manner in which to complete and mail the complaint form to the state agency, or both, consistent with whichever method the agency establishes for the filing of complaints.

Terms Used In California Government Code 8331

  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Process: includes a writ or summons issued in the course of judicial proceedings of either a civil or criminal nature. See California Government Code 22
  • State: means the State of California, unless applied to the different parts of the United States. See California Government Code 18
  • state agency: includes every state office, officer, department, division, bureau, board, and commission. See California Government Code 11000
  • Subdivision: means a subdivision of the section in which the term occurs unless some other section is expressly mentioned. See California Government Code 10

(c) State agencies making a complaint form available on the Internet shall, to the extent feasible:

(1) Advise individuals calling the state agency to lodge a complaint of both of the following:

(A) The availability of the complaint form on the Internet.

(B) That many public libraries provide Internet access.

(2) Include on the Internet the location at which this information may be accessed in the telephone directory in order that citizens will be aware that they may contact the state agency via the Internet or by telephone.

(d) Public libraries, to the extent permitted through donations and other means, may do each of the following:

(1) Provide Internet access to their patrons.

(2) Advertise that they provide Internet access.

(e) Notwithstanding subdivision (a) of Section 11000, state agency as used in this section includes the California State University.

(Amended by Stats. 1999, Ch. 784, Sec. 11. Effective October 10, 1999.)

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