Store Research
SENATE BILL 732 (BAKER – 1931)
CHAPTER 578, STATUTES OF 1931 - SB 732
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Various uncodified sections related to the powers and duties of the registrar of contractors and proceedings for revocation of licenses from the 1929 Contractors Act were affected in 1931 following legislative approval of Senate Bill 732. (See Exhibit #1f) Senate Bill 732 was introduced by Senators C.C. Baker and George C. Cleveland. (See Exhibit #1a)
Following its introduction, Senate Bill 732 was heard by the Senate Committee on Governmental Efficiency and the Assembly Committee on Governmental Efficiency and Economy where policy issues raised by the bill were considered. (See Exhibit #2) This bill was amended four times, twice in each House. (See Exhibits #1b through #1e and #2) Senate Bill 732 was approved by Governor James Rolph, Jr., on June 3rd and was enacted on August 14th as Chapter 578 of the Statutes of 1931. (See Exhibit #1f and #2)
Unfortunately, very little survives to discuss this 1931 legislation. Neither the author, the committees hearing the bill, nor the Governor left materials documenting their consideration of Senate Bill 732 that have endured the passage of years. Under these circumstances, we expanded our research to include related treatises, publications, studies, and reports produced by state agencies and trade organizations involved in the legislative process. (See Exhibits #4 through #8)
The Second Biennial Message of Governor C. C. Young, given early in the 1931 legislative session when he was leaving the California gubernatorial office, addressed the newly enacted 1929 Contractors Licensing Act as follows:
. . . Amendments to this law at the next legislature should provide for the administration of the finances through a revolving fund to simplify the office administration. The first section of the act should specify that one who proposes to act as a contractor or who proposes to engage in the business of contracting should require a license, so that those who offer bids on construction work may be definitely brought under the law. A definite provision should also be made to retain any surplus funds in the contractors’ reserve fund. The exemption clause which provides that contractors taking contracts in a sum less than $200 do not need licenses should be eliminated, and the determination of work that is “casual and inconsequential” should be left to the discretion of the registrar.
(See Exhibit #8, page 175)