SECTIONS 6070-6071 - California Statutes

BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE

SECTION 6070-6071

6070. (a) The State Bar shall request the California Supreme Court
to adopt a rule of court authorizing the State Bar to establish and
administer a mandatory continuing legal education program. The rule
that the State Bar requests the Supreme Court to adopt shall require
that, within designated 36-month periods, all active members of the
State Bar shall complete at least 25 hours of legal education
activities approved by the State Bar or offered by a State Bar
approved provider, with four of those hours in legal ethics. A member
of the State Bar who fails to satisfy the mandatory continuing legal
education requirements of the program authorized by the Supreme
Court rule shall be enrolled as an inactive member pursuant to rules
adopted by the Board of Governors of the State Bar.
(b) For purposes of this section, statewide associations of public
agencies and incorporated, nonprofit professional associations of
attorneys, shall be certified as State Bar approved providers upon
completion of an appropriate application process to be established by
the State Bar. The certification may be revoked only by majority
vote of the board, after notice and hearing, and for good cause
shown. Programs provided by the California District Attorneys
Association or the California Public Defenders Association, or both,
including, but not limited to, programs provided pursuant to Title
1.5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 4 of the Penal Code, are
deemed to be legal education activities approved by the State Bar or
offered by a State Bar approved provider.
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (a), officers
and elected officials of the State of California, and full-time
professors at law schools accredited by the State Bar of California,
the American Bar Association, or both, shall be exempt from the
provisions of this section. Full-time employees of the State of
California, acting within the scope of their employment, shall be
exempt from the provisions of this section. Nothing in this section
shall prohibit the State of California, or any political subdivision
thereof, from establishing or maintaining its own continuing
education requirements for its employees.
(d) The State Bar shall provide and encourage the development of
low-cost programs and materials by which members may satisfy their
continuing education requirements. Special emphasis shall be placed
upon the use of internet capabilities and computer technology in the
development and provision of no-cost and low-cost programs and
materials. Towards this purpose, the State Bar shall ensure that by
July 1, 2000, any member possessing or having access to the internet
or specified generally available computer technology shall be capable
of satisfying the full self-study portion of his or her MCLE
requirement at a cost of fifteen dollars ($15) per hour or less.

6071. (a) The State Bar shall request the California Supreme Court
to amend Rule 9.31 of the California Rules of Court, relating to the
mandatory continuing education program, to provide that one hour of
the mandatory eight hours of legal education activities in legal
ethics or law practice management, instead, may be satisfied by one
hour of legal education activity in the civil and criminal remedies
available for civil rights violations.
(b) This section shall not affect the requirement that all active
members of the State Bar complete at least four hours of legal
education activity in ethics within designated 36-month periods.