(a) The following persons engaged in the following types of lead construction work shall have a certificate:

(1) Persons who receive pay for doing lead hazard evaluations, including, but not limited to, lead inspections, lead risk assessments, or lead clearance inspections, in residential or public buildings.

(2) Persons preparing or designing plans for the abatement of lead-based paint or lead hazards from residential or public buildings.

(3) Persons doing work designed to reduce or eliminate lead hazards on a permanent basis (to last 20 years or more) from residential or public buildings.

(4) Persons inspecting for lead or doing lead abatement activities in a public elementary school, preschool, or day care center.

(5) Persons doing lead-related construction work in a residential or public building that will expose a person to airborne lead at or above the eight-hour permissible exposure limit of 50 micrograms per cubic meter.

(b) On and after July 1, 2027, the following shall also have a certificate: a firm, as defined by Section 745.83 of Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations, and at least one person onsite and employed by a firm, doing renovation, repair, or painting work for compensation in a residential or public building that will disturb lead-based paint, as defined in Section 35033 of Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations, or presumed lead-based paint, as defined in Section 35043 of Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations, which regulations were adopted by the State Department of Public Health pursuant to Sections 105250 and 124160.

(c) Persons performing routine maintenance and repairs in housing are not required to have a certificate if they are not performing any of the activities listed under subdivisions (a) and (b).

(d) The department may adopt regulations to modify certification requirements for persons engaged in lead construction work based on changes to state or federal law, or programmatic need.

(e) The department or any local enforcement agency may, consistent with Section 17972, enter, inspect, and photograph any premises where abatement, a lead hazard evaluation, or lead-related construction work is being conducted or has been ordered, enter the place of business of any person who conducts abatement, lead hazard evaluations, or lead-related construction work, and inspect and copy any business record of any person who conducts abatement, lead hazard evaluations, or lead-related construction work, to determine whether the person is complying with this section.

(f) (1) A violation of subdivision (a) shall be punishable by a civil penalty of no less than five thousand dollars ($5,000) per violation per day.

(2) A violation of subdivision (b) shall be punishable by a civil penalty of no less than ten thousand dollars ($10,000) per violation per day.

(3) Each subsequent violation of this section may be subject to imposition of a civil penalty of no more than thirty-seven thousand five hundred dollars ($37,500) per violation per day or punishable by imprisonment for no more than six months in the county jail, a fine of no more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by both that imprisonment and fine. In assessing the amount of the criminal or civil penalty, any one or more of the relevant circumstances shall be considered: the nature and seriousness of the misconduct, the number of violations, the persistence of the misconduct, the length of time over which the misconduct occurred, the willfulness of the misconduct, and the violator’s assets, liabilities, net worth, and other relevant factors.

(g) (1) The State Department of Public Health shall develop and implement an education and outreach program for every person and firm that is required to have a certificate pursuant to subdivisions (a) and (b). The program shall include information on who is required to have a certificate and the requirements and process to obtain a certificate. The program shall be implemented on or before July 1, 2026.

(2) The department shall provide educational and outreach materials to the Contractors State License Board for the board to make the materials available to contractors and consumers on its internet website.

(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 191, Sec. 6. (SB 137) Effective September 13, 2023.)