ARTICLE 2. Disqualifications for Office or Employment [1020. - 1044.]

Cal. Government Code - GOV 2.

in effect

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 1020. Section 1020.

(a) A person is eligible to hold an elective civil office if, at the time of election, the person is 18 years of age and a citizen of the state. (b) Notwithstanding any other law, a person, regardless of citizenship or immigration status, is eligible to hold an appointed civil office if the person is 18 years of age and a resident of the state. (c) Notwithstanding any other law, a person appointed to civil office, regardless of citizenship or immigration status, may receive any form of compensation that the person is not otherwise prohibited from receiving pursuant to federal law, including, but not limited to, any stipend, grant, or reimbursement of personal expenses that is associated with carrying out the duties of that office.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 1020.5. Section 1020.5.

(a) Notwithstanding Section 1020 or any other provision of law, no person shall be incapable of holding any office in a youth services bureau solely by reason of being under 18 years of age. (b) For purposes of this section, the term “youth services bureau” means a state or local public agency, including a joint powers agency, which has as its primary purpose the establishment of a program of prevention of juvenile delinquency and to provide opportunities for young people to function as responsible members of the community.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 1021. Section 1021.

A person is disqualified from holding any office upon conviction of designated crimes as specified in the Constitution and laws of the State.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 1021.5. Section 1021.5.

(a) If a public employee is convicted of any felony involving accepting or giving, or offering to give, any bribe, conflict of interest, the embezzlement of public money, extortion or theft of public money, perjury, or conspiracy to commit any of those crimes arising directly out of their official duties as a public employee, the public employee shall be disqualified for five years from any public employment, including, but not limited to, employment with a city, county, district, or any other public agency of the state. (b) The five-year disqualification period described in subdivision (a) shall begin on the later of either of the following: (1) The date of final conviction. (2) The date on which the public employee is released from any incarceration. (c) For purposes of this section, “public employee” means any person employed at will for the purposes of providing services to an elected public officer who takes public office, or is reelected to public office, on or after January 1, 2013.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 1021.6. Section 1021.6.

(a) A city manager or city attorney, including an individual acting under contract with the city for those services, who is convicted of any felony set forth in Section 1021.5, shall be disqualified from any future public employment in an equivalent role. (b) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply: (1) “City attorney” means any person employed pursuant to Section 41801 on or after January 1, 2026. (2) “City manager” means any person employed pursuant to Section 34851 on or after January 1, 2026.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 1022. Section 1022.

Other provisions respecting disqualification for particular offices are contained in the Constitution and in the laws concerning the various offices.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 1023. Section 1023.

A person is ineligible to hold office or employment of any kind under the State, any county, city, district or other political or governmental unit of the State if he, while either a citizen or resident of the United States, has by oath bound himself to support, maintain or further the military or political activities or policies of any foreign government or of any official thereof or society or association therein or to obey the orders or directions of any foreign government or of any official thereof.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 1024. Section 1024.

Any person who holds any office or employment under the state or any county, city, district or other political or governmental unit of the state and who has taken any oath described in Section 1023 is relieved of ineligibility to office or employment if he or she petitions any superior court for leave to renounce all promises or obligations assumed by him or her under that oath, and renounces all those promises or obligations before a judge of that court. Any other person who has taken or hereafter takes any such oath may at any time be relieved of ineligibility by petitioning any superior court and renouncing all such promises or obligations in like manner.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 1026. Section 1026.

Every person who exercises the duties of any office in violation of the provisions of this article relative to oaths, and every person who knowingly appoints to office a person ineligible by reason of the provisions of this article relative to oaths, is guilty of a felony.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 1027. Section 1027.

Every person who exercises the duties of any employment in violation of the provisions of this article relative to oaths, and every person who knowingly employs a person ineligible by reason of the provisions of this article relative to oaths, is guilty of a misdemeanor.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 1027.5. Section 1027.5.

The Legislature of the State of California finds that: (a) There exists a world-wide revolutionary movement to establish a totalitarian dictatorship based upon force and violence rather than upon law. (b) This world-wide revolutionary movement is predicated upon and it is designed and intended to carry into execution the basic precepts of communism as expounded by Marx, Lenin, and Stalin. (c) Pursuant to the objectives of the world communism movement, in numerous foreign countries the legally constituted governments have been overthrown and totalitarian dictatorships established therein against the will of the people, and the establishment of similar dictatorships in other countries is imminently threatening. The successful establishment of totalitarian dictatorships has consistently been aided, accompanied, or accomplished by repeated acts of treachery, deceit, teaching of false doctrines, teaching untruth, together with organized confusion, insubordination, and disloyalty, fostered, directed, instigated, or employed by communist organizations and their members in such countries. (d) Within the boundaries of the State of California there are active disciplined communist organizations presently functioning for the primary purpose of advancing the objectives of the world communism movement, which organizations promulgate, advocate, and adhere to the precepts and the principles and doctrines of the world communism movement. These communist organizations are characterized by identification of their programs, policies, and objectives with those of the world communism movement, and they regularly and consistently cooperate with and endeavor to carry into execution programs, policies and objectives substantially identical to programs, policies, and objectives of such world communism movement. (e) One of the objectives of the world communism movement is to place its members in state and local government positions and in state supported educational institutions. If this objective is successful, propaganda can be disseminated by the members of these organizations among pupils and students by those members who would have the opportunity to teach them and to whom, as teachers, they would look for guidance, authority, and leadership. The members of such groups would use their positions to advocate and teach their doctrines and teach the prescribed Communist Party line group dogma or doctrine without regard to truth or free inquiry. This type of propaganda is sufficiently subtle to escape detection. There is a clear and present danger, which the Legislature of the State of California finds is great and imminent, that in order to advance the program, policies and objectives of the world communism movement, communist organizations in the State of California and their members will engage in concerted effort to hamper, restrict, interfere with, impede, or nullify the efforts of the State and the public agencies of the State to comply with and enforce the laws of the State of California and their members will infiltrate and seek employment by the State and its public agencies.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 1028. Section 1028.

It shall be sufficient cause for the dismissal of any public employee when such public employee advocates or is knowingly a member of the Communist Party or of an organization which during the time of his membership he knows advocates overthrow of the Government of the United States or of any state by force or violence.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 1028.1. Section 1028.1.

It shall be the duty of any public employee who may be subpenaed or ordered by the governing body of the state or local agency by which such employee is employed, to appear before such governing body, or a committee or subcommittee thereof, or by a duly authorized committee of the Congress of the United States or of the Legislature of this State, or any subcommittee of any such committee, to appear before such committee or subcommittee, and to answer under oath a question or questions propounded by such governing body, committee or subcommittee, or a member or counsel thereof, relating to: (a) Present personal advocacy by the employee of the forceful or violent overthrow of the Government of the United States or of any state. (b) Present knowing membership in any organization now advocating the forceful or violent overthrow of the Government of the United States or of any state. (c) Past knowing membership at any time since October 3, 1945, in any organization which, to the knowledge of such employee, during the time of the employee’s membership advocated the forceful or violent overthrow of the Government of the United States or of any state. (d) Questions as to present knowing membership of such employee in the Communist Party or as to past knowing membership in the Communist Party at any time since October 3, 1945. (e) Present personal advocacy by the employee of the support of a foreign government against the United States in the event of hostilities between said foreign government and the United States. Any employee who fails or refuses to appear or to answer under oath on any ground whatsoever any such questions so propounded shall be guilty of insubordination and guilty of violating this section and shall be suspended and dismissed from his employment in the manner provided by law.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 1028.2. Section 1028.2.

Sections 1027.5, 1028.1, and 1028, added by Chapter 1418 of the Statutes of 1947, are not applicable to school district employees. It is the intent of the Legislature that the Education Code shall apply to such employees.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 1029. Section 1029.

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), (c), (d), or (e), each of the following persons is disqualified from holding office as a peace officer or being employed as a peace officer of the state, county, city, city and county, or other political subdivision, whether with or without compensation, and is disqualified from any office or employment by the state, county, city, city and county, or other political subdivision, whether with or without compensation, which confers upon the holder or employee the powers and duties of a peace officer: (1) Any person who has been convicted of a felony. (2) Any person who has been convicted of any offense in any other jurisdiction which would have been a felony if committed in this state. (3) Any person who has been discharged from the military for committing an offense, as adjudicated by a military tribunal, which would have been a felony if committed in this state. (4) (A) Any person who, after January 1, 2004, has been convicted of a crime based upon a verdict or finding of guilt of a felony by the trier of fact, or upon the entry of a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to a felony. This paragraph applies regardless of whether, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 17 of the Penal Code, the court declares the offense to be a misdemeanor or the offense becomes a misdemeanor by operation of law. (B) For purposes of this paragraph, a person has been “convicted of a crime” immediately upon entry of a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, or upon being found guilty by a trier of fact of, a felony offense, including an offense that may be charged as a misdemeanor or felony and that was charged as a felony at the time of the conviction. (C) Effective January 1, 2022, any person who has been convicted of a crime in accordance with this paragraph shall not regain eligibility for peace officer employment based upon the nature of any sentence ordered or imposed. In addition, no such person shall regain eligibility for peace officer employment based upon any later order of the court setting aside, vacating, withdrawing, expunging or otherwise dismissing or reversing the conviction, unless the court finds the person to be factually innocent of the crime for which they were convicted at the time of entry of the order. (5) Any person who has been charged with a felony and adjudged by a superior court to be mentally incompetent under Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 1367) of Title 10 of Part 2 of the Penal Code. (6) Any person who has been found not guilty by reason of insanity of any felony. (7) Any person who has been determined to be a mentally disordered sex offender pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 6300) of Chapter 2 of Part 2 of Division 6 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. (8) Any person adjudged addicted or in danger of becoming addicted to narcotics, convicted, and committed to a state institution as provided in Section 3051 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. (9) Any person who, following exhaustion of all available appeals, has been convicted of, or adjudicated through an administrative, military, or civil judicial process requiring not less than clear and convincing evidence, including a hearing that meets the requirements of the administrative adjudication provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2), as having committed, any act that is a violation of Section 115, 115.3, 116, 116.5, or 117 of, or of any offense described in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 92), Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 118), Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 132), or Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 142) of Title 7 of Part 1 of the Penal Code, including any act committed in another jurisdiction that would have been a violation of any of those sections if committed in this state. (10) Any person who has been issued the certification described in Section 13510.1 of the Penal Code, and has had that certification revoked by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, has voluntarily surrendered that certification pursuant to subdivision (f) of Section 13510.8, or having met the minimum requirement for issuance of certification, has been denied issuance of certification. (11) Any person previously employed in law enforcement in any state or United States territory or by the federal government, whose name is listed in the National Decertification Index of the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training or any other database designated by the federal government whose certification as a law enforcement officer in that jurisdiction was revoked for misconduct, or who, while employed as a law enforcement officer, engaged in serious misconduct that would have resulted in their certification being revoked by the commission if employed as a peace officer in this state. (b) (1) A plea of guilty to a felony pursuant to a deferred entry of judgment program as set forth in Sections 1000 to 1000.4, inclusive, of the Penal Code shall not alone disqualify a person from being a peace officer unless a judgment of guilty is entered pursuant to Section 1000.3 of the Penal Code. (2) A person who pleads guilty or nolo contendere to, or who is found guilty by a trier of fact of, an alternate felony-misdemeanor drug possession offense and successfully completes a program of probation pursuant to Section 1210.1 of the Penal Code shall not be disqualified from being a peace officer solely on the basis of the plea or finding if the court deems the offense to be a misdemeanor or reduces the offense to a misdemeanor. (c) Any person who has been convicted of a felony, other than a felony punishable by death, in this state or any other state, or who has been convicted of any offense in any other state which would have been a felony, other than a felony punishable by death, if committed in this state, and who demonstrates the ability to assist persons in programs of rehabilitation may hold office and be employed as a parole officer of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation or the Division of Juvenile Justice, or as a probation officer in a county probation department, if the person has been granted a full and unconditional pardon for the felony or offense of which they were convicted. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation or the Division of Juvenile Justice, or a county probation department, may refuse to employ that person regardless of their qualifications. (d) This section does not limit or curtail the power or authority of any board of police commissioners, chief of police, sheriff, mayor, or other appointing authority to appoint, employ, or deputize any person as a peace officer in time of disaster caused by flood, fire, pestilence or similar public calamity, or to exercise any power conferred by law to summon assistance in making arrests or preventing the commission of any criminal offense. (e) This section does not prohibit any person from holding office or being employed as a superintendent, supervisor, or employee having custodial responsibilities in an institution operated by a probation department, if at the time of the person’s hire a prior conviction of a felony was known to the person’s employer, and the class of office for which the person was hired was not declared by law to be a class prohibited to persons convicted of a felony, but as a result of a change in classification, as provided by law, the new classification would prohibit employment of a person convicted of a felony. (f) The Department of Justice shall supply the commission with necessary disqualifying felony and misdemeanor conviction data for all persons known by the department to be current or former peace officers. The commission shall be permitted to use the information for decertification purposes. The data, once received by the commission, shall be made available for public inspection pursuant to the California Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1), including documentation of the person’s appointment, promotion, and demotion dates, as well as certification or licensing status and the reason or disposition for the person leaving service.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 1029.1. Section 1029.1.

The Department of Corrections and the Department of the Youth Authority shall complete a background investigation, using as guidelines standards defined by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, of any applicant for employment as a peace officer before the applicant may be employed or begin training as a peace officer. In order to reduce potential duplication of effort by individual institutions, investigations shall be accomplished by each department on a centralized or regional basis to the extent administratively feasible.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 1030. Section 1030.

(a) A law enforcement agency shall require a peace officer or a prospective peace officer, as designated under Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2 of the Penal Code, to undergo a fingerprint-based state and national criminal history background check. (b) A law enforcement agency shall submit to the Department of Justice fingerprint images and related information for an individual specified in subdivision (a) who is subject to a state and national criminal history background check, pursuant to subdivision (u) of Section 11105 of the Penal Code. The Department of Justice shall provide a state- or federal-level response pursuant to subdivision (k) of Section 11105 of the Penal Code. (c) As used in this section, “law enforcement agency” means a police or sheriff’s department, or any department or agency of the state or any political subdivision thereof that employs any peace officer, as designated as designated under Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2 of the Penal Code.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 1031. Section 1031.

Each class of public officers or employees declared by law to be peace officers shall meet all of the following minimum standards: (a) Be legally authorized to work in the United States under federal law. (b) Be 18 years of age or older. (c) Be fingerprinted for purposes of search of local, state, and national fingerprint files to disclose a criminal record. (d) Be of good moral character, as determined by a thorough background investigation. (e) Be a high school graduate, pass the General Education Development Test or other high school equivalency test approved by the State Department of Education that indicates high school graduation level, pass the California High School Proficiency Examination, or have attained a two-year, four-year, or advanced degree from an accredited college or university. The high school shall be either a United States public school, an accredited United States Department of Defense high school, or an accredited or approved public or nonpublic high school. Any accreditation or approval required by this subdivision shall be from a state or local government educational agency using state or local government approved accreditation, licensing, registration, or other approval standards, a regional accrediting association, an accrediting association recognized by the Secretary of the United States Department of Education, an accrediting association holding full membership in the National Council for Private School Accreditation (NCPSA), an organization holding full membership in AdvancED or Cognia, an organization holding full membership in the Council for American Private Education (CAPE), or an accrediting association recognized by the National Federation of Nonpublic School State Accrediting Associations (NFNSSAA). A foreign college or university degree may be evaluated for equivalency by a credential evaluation service holding membership in the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or the Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE). (f) Be found to be free from any physical, emotional, or mental condition, including bias against race or ethnicity, gender, nationality, religion, disability, or sexual orientation, that might adversely affect the exercise of the powers of a peace officer. (1) Physical condition shall be evaluated by a licensed physician and surgeon. (2) Emotional and mental condition shall be evaluated by either of the following: (A) A physician and surgeon who holds a valid California license to practice medicine, has successfully completed a postgraduate medical residency education program in psychiatry accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, and has at least the equivalent of five full-time years of experience in the diagnosis and treatment of emotional and mental disorders, including the equivalent of three full-time years accrued after completion of the psychiatric residency program. (B) A psychologist licensed by the California Board of Psychology who has at least the equivalent of five full-time years of experience in the diagnosis and treatment of emotional and mental disorders, including the equivalent of three full-time years accrued postdoctorate. The physician and surgeon or psychologist shall also have met any applicable education and training procedures set forth by the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training designed for the conduct of preemployment psychological screening of peace officers. (g) This section shall not be construed to preclude the adoption of additional or higher standards, including age. (h) This section shall be interpreted and applied consistent with federal law and regulations. This section shall not be construed to permit an employer to override or bypass work authorization requirements stated in Section 274a.2 of Title 8 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 1031.1. Section 1031.1.

(a) For purposes of performing a thorough background investigation for applicants not currently employed as a peace officer, as required by subdivision (d) of Section 1031, or in the case of an applicant for a position other than a sworn peace officer within a law enforcement agency, an employer shall disclose employment information relating to a current or former employee, upon request of a law enforcement agency, if all of the following conditions are met: (1) The request is made in writing. (2) The request is accompanied by a notarized authorization by the applicant releasing the employer of liability. (3) The request and the authorization are presented to the employer by a sworn officer or other authorized representative of the employing law enforcement agency. (b) In the absence of fraud or malice, an employer shall not be subject to civil liability for any relevant cause of action by virtue of releasing employment information required pursuant to this section. This section does not in any way or manner abrogate or lessen the existing common law or statutory privileges and immunities of an employer. (c) For purposes of this section, “employment information” includes written information in connection with job applications, performance evaluations, attendance records, disciplinary actions, eligibility for rehire, and other information relevant to the performance of a peace officer or other law enforcement agency applicant, except information prohibited from disclosure by any other state or federal law or regulation. (d) An employer’s refusal to disclose information to a law enforcement agency in accordance with this section shall constitute grounds for a civil action for injunctive relief requiring disclosure on the part of an employer. (e) Employment information disclosed by an employer to an initial requesting law enforcement agency shall be deemed confidential. However, the initial requesting law enforcement agency may disclose this information to another authorized law enforcement agency that is also conducting a background investigation into a peace officer or other law enforcement agency applicant. If this information is disclosed to another law enforcement agency, that agency shall utilize the information for investigative leads only and the information shall be independently verified by that agency in order to be used in determining the suitability of a peace officer or other law enforcement agency applicant. (f) An employer may charge reasonable fees to cover actual costs incurred in copying and furnishing documents to law enforcement agencies as required by this section.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 1031.2. Section 1031.2.

Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-336) and paragraph (3) of subdivision (e) of Section 12940, the collection of nonmedical or nonpsychological information of peace officers, in accordance with a thorough background investigation, as required by subdivision (d) of Section 1031, may be deferred until after a conditional offer of employment is issued if the employer can demonstrate that the information could not reasonably have been collected prior to the offer.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 1031.3. Section 1031.3.

(a) The Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, by January 1, 2022, shall study, review, and update their regulations and associated screening materials related to the emotional and mental condition evaluation required by Section 1031 to incorporate both of the following: (1) Identification of explicit bias towards race or ethnicity, gender, nationality, religion, disability, or sexual orientation. (2) Identification of implicit bias towards race or ethnicity, gender, nationality, religion, disability, or sexual orientation. (b) For the purpose of this section, race or ethnicity, gender, nationality, religion, disability, and sexual orientation have the same meaning as incorporated by Section 422.55 of the Penal Code.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 1031.4. Section 1031.4.

(a) In addition to the standards in Section 1031, each state officer and employee designated as peace officers as described in Section 830.1, with the exception of those described in subdivision (c) of that section, 830.2, with the exception of those described in subdivision (d) of that section, 830.3, 830.32, or 830.33 of the Penal Code, or any other peace officer employed by an agency that participates in the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) program shall be at least 21 years of age at the time of appointment. (b) This section shall not apply to any person who, as of December 31, 2021, is currently enrolled in a basic academy or is employed as a peace officer by a public entity in California.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 1031.5. Section 1031.5.

(a) (1) In addition to the standards in Section 1031, commencing January 1, 2031, each state officer and employee designated as a peace officer as described in Section 830.1, with the exception of those described in subdivision (c) of that section, 830.2, with the exception of those described in subdivision (d) of that section, 830.3, 830.32, or 830.33 of the Penal Code, or any other peace officer employed by an agency that participates in the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) program shall attain one or more of the following degrees or certificates no later than 36 months after receiving their basic certificate by the commission: (A) An associate’s degree from a community college that is accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education. (B) A bachelor’s degree or other advanced degree from a college or university that is accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education. (C) A modern policing degree, as described in subdivision (b). (D) A professional policing certificate, as described in subdivision (c). (2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a person who is either of the following shall attain one or more of the degrees or certificates set forth in subparagraph (A), (B), (C), or (D) of paragraph (1) no later than 48 months after receiving their basic certificate by the commission: (A) An individual with experience as a sworn peace officer from another state who served as a peace officer for less than eight years and with a separation in good standing. (B) An individual with experience serving in the Armed Forces of the United States who served for less than eight years and with an honorable discharge if their military service has concluded. (3) Paragraph (1) does not apply to either of the following: (A) An individual with at least eight years of experience as a sworn peace officer from another state and with a separation in good standing. (B) An individual with at least eight years of military service in the Armed Forces of the United States and with an honorable discharge if military service has concluded. (b) A modern policing degree shall meet all of the following criteria: (1) Require at least 60 semester units or 90 quarter units of degree-applicable credit coursework from a college or university that is accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education. (2) Award credits for required commission-certified academy course instruction. (3) Offer courses that include, but are not limited to, the following list of subjects: (A) Communications. (B) Psychology. (C) Writing. (D) Ethics. (E) Criminal Justice. (c) A professional policing certificate may be offered by any accredited college or university, and shall meet all of the following criteria: (1) Require at least 16 semester units or 24 quarter units of degree-applicable credit coursework from a college or university that is accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education. (2) Offer courses that include, but are not limited to, the following list of subjects: (A) Communications. (B) Psychology. (C) Writing. (D) Ethics. (E) Criminal Justice. (d) (1) Coursework completed as part of the commission-certified academy shall count toward the modern policing degree and professional policing certificate and may count toward any associate degree or bachelor’s degree described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a). (2) Coursework completed as part of military or law enforcement training that is within the curriculum of a modern policing degree as described in subdivision (b) or a professional policing certificate as described in subdivision (c) by an individual during prior employment in the military or in law enforcement in another state may count toward a modern policing degree as described in subdivision (b) or a professional policing certificate as described in subdivision (c). (3) Coursework completed as part of the commission-certified academy shall not solely satisfy the unit requirement for a professional policing certificate. (e) This section does not apply to any person who, as of December 31, 2030, is currently enrolled in a basic academy or is employed as a peace officer by a public entity in California. (f) This section does not apply to any person who is employed as a peace officer by the State Department of State Hospitals.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 1040. Section 1040.

(a) The Department of Motor Vehicles may require fingerprint images and associated information from an employee or prospective employee whose duties include or would include any of the following: (1) Access to confidential information in a database of the department. (2) Access to confidential or sensitive information provided by a member of the public including, but not limited to, a credit card number or social security account number. (3) Access to cash, checks, or other accountable items. (4) Responsibility for the development or maintenance of a critical automated system. (5) Making decisions regarding the issuance or denial of a license, endorsement, certificate, or indicia. (b) The fingerprint images and associated information of an employee or prospective employee of the Department of Motor Vehicles whose duties include or would include those specified in subdivision (a), or any person who assumes those duties, may be furnished to the Department of Justice for the purpose of obtaining information as to the existence and nature of a record of state or federal level convictions and state or federal level arrests for which the Department of Justice establishes that the applicant was released on bail or on his or her own recognizance pending trial. Requests for federal level criminal offender record information, received by the Department of Justice, pursuant to this section, shall be forwarded to the Federal Bureau of Investigation by the Department of Justice. (c) The Department of Justice shall respond to the Department of Motor Vehicles with information as provided under subdivision (p) of Section 11105 of the Penal Code. (d) The Department of Motor Vehicles shall request subsequent arrest notification, from the Department of Justice, as provided under Section 11105.2 of the Penal Code, for applicants described in subdivision (a). (e) The Department of Justice may assess a fee sufficient to cover the processing costs required under this section, as authorized pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 11105 of the Penal Code. (f) This section does not apply to an employee of the Department of Motor Vehicles whose appointment occurred prior to January 1, 2005. (g) The Department of Motor Vehicles may investigate the criminal history of persons applying for employment in order to make a final determination of that person’s fitness to perform duties that would include any of those specified in subdivision (a).

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 1041. Section 1041.

(a) (1) The Department of Managed Health Care may require fingerprint images and associated information from a prospective employee whose duties would include access to medical information. (2) The department shall require that any services contract or interagency agreement that may include review of medical information for compliance with the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975 (Chapter 2.2 (commencing with Section 1340) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code), and entered into, renewed, or amended after January 1, 2006, shall include a provision requiring the contractor to agree to permit the department to run criminal background checks on its employees, contractors, agents, or subcontractors that will have access to this information as part of their contract with the department. (b) The fingerprint images and associated information of a prospective employee, contractor, agent, subcontractor, or employee of a contractor of the Department of Managed Health Care whose duties include or would include access to the information specified in subdivision (a), or any person who assumes those duties, may be furnished to the Department of Justice for the purpose of obtaining information as to the existence and nature of a record of state or federal level convictions and state or federal level arrests for which the Department of Justice establishes that the applicant was released on bail or on his or her own recognizance pending trial. Requests for federal level criminal offender record information, received by the Department of Justice, pursuant to this section, shall be forwarded to the Federal Bureau of Investigation by the Department of Justice. (c) The Department of Justice shall respond to the Department of Managed Health Care with information as provided under subdivision (p) of Section 11105 of the Penal Code. (d) The Department of Managed Health Care shall request subsequent arrest notification, from the Department of Justice, as provided under Section 11105.2 of the Penal Code, for applicants described in subdivision (a). (e) The Department of Justice may assess a fee sufficient to cover the processing costs required under this section, as authorized pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 11105 of the Penal Code. (f) This section does not apply to an employee of the Department of Managed Health Care whose appointment occurred prior to January 1, 2006. (g) The Department of Managed Health Care may investigate the criminal history for crimes involving moral turpitude of persons applying for employment in order to make a final determination of that person’s fitness to perform duties that would include any access to confidential information.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 1042. Section 1042.

(a) (1) The California Gambling Control Commission may require fingerprint images and associated information from a prospective employee if the employee’s duties include, or would include, access to any of the following: (A) Information that is required to be kept confidential under the Gambling Control Act (Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 19800) of Division 8 of the Business and Professions Code) or any tribal-state gaming compact, including, but not limited to, applications for licenses or findings of suitability, and information provided by or received from a tribe in connection with a tribal-state gaming compact. (B) Access to state summary criminal history information, as defined in Section 11105 of the Penal Code, whether in full or in summary. (C) Access to cash, checks, or other accountable items. (2) The commission shall require that any services contract that is entered into, renewed, or amended on or after January 1, 2009, include a provision requiring the contractor to agree to permit the commission to require fingerprint images and associated information from the contractor’s employees, contractors, agents, or subcontractors, whose duties include, or would include, access to information and accountable items under paragraph (1) as part of a contract with the commission, in order for the commission to request criminal background checks on those individuals. (b) The fingerprint images and associated information of a prospective employee, contractor, agent, subcontractor, or employee of a contractor of the California Gambling Control Commission whose duties include, or would include, access to the information or accountable items specified under paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), or any person who assumes duties that include access to that information or those accountable items, may be furnished to the Department of Justice for the purpose of obtaining information as to the existence and nature of a record of state or federal level convictions and state or federal level arrests for which the Department of Justice establishes that the applicant was released on bail or on his or her own recognizance pending trial. Requests for federal level criminal offender record information received by the Department of Justice pursuant to this section shall be forwarded to the Federal Bureau of Investigation by the Department of Justice. (c) The Department of Justice shall respond to the California Gambling Control Commission with information as provided under subdivision (p) of Section 11105 of the Penal Code. (d) The California Gambling Control Commission shall request subsequent arrest notification from the Department of Justice, as provided under Section 11105.2 of the Penal Code, for individuals described in subdivision (a) hired on or after January 1, 2009. (e) The Department of Justice may assess a fee sufficient to cover the processing costs required under this section, as authorized pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 11105 of the Penal Code. (f) This section does not apply to an employee of the California Gambling Control Commission whose appointment occurred prior to January 1, 2009. (g) The executive director of the California Gambling Control Commission may investigate the criminal history of persons applying for employment and prospective service contractors and their agents, subcontractors, or employees, in order to make a final determination of a person’s fitness to perform duties that would include access to any information or accountable items specified under paragraph (1) of subdivision (a). Under no circumstances shall a person who would be disqualified from holding a state gambling license pursuant to subdivisions (c) to (f), inclusive, of Section 19859 of the Business and Professions Code be selected, appointed, or hired in a position that would include any duties involving access to information or accountable items specified under paragraph (1) of subdivision (a).

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 1043. Section 1043.

(a) (1) The executive board of the California Health Benefit Exchange, as established by Section 100500, shall, consistent with the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Catalog of Minimum Acceptable Risk Standards for Exchanges (MARS-E), Exchange Reference Architecture Supplement version 1.0, issued on August 12, 2012, or further updates, guidance, or regulations, submit to the Department of Justice fingerprint images and related information required by the Department of Justice of all employees, prospective employees, contractors, subcontractors, volunteers, or vendors, whose duties include or would include access to confidential information, personal identifying information, personal health information, federal tax information, or financial information contained in the information systems and devices of the Exchange, or any other information as required by federal law or guidance applicable to state-based exchanges for the purposes of obtaining information as to the existence and content of a record of state or federal convictions and also information as to the existence and content of a record of state or federal arrests for which the Department of Justice establishes that the person is free on bail or on his or her recognizance pending trial or appeal. (2) The board shall require a services contract, interagency agreement, or public entity agreement that includes or would include access to information described in paragraph (1), and entered into, renewed, or amended on or after June 17, 2013, to include a provision requiring the contractor to agree to criminal background checks on its employees, contractors, agents, or subcontractors who will have access to information described in paragraph (1) as part of their services contract, interagency agreement, or public entity agreement with the board. (b) The Department of Justice shall forward to the Federal Bureau of Investigation requests for federal summary criminal history information received pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a). The Department of Justice shall review the information returned from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and compile and disseminate a response to the board. (c) The Department of Justice shall provide a state or federal level response to the board pursuant to subdivision (p) of Section 11105 of the Penal Code. (d) The board shall request from the Department of Justice subsequent notification service, as provided pursuant to Section 11105.2 of the Penal Code, for persons listed in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a). (e) The Department of Justice shall charge a fee sufficient to cover the cost of processing requests pursuant to this section.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 1044. Section 1044.

(a) (1) A state entity or its designee shall conduct criminal background checks, as provided in this section, to comply with applicable federal requirements. (2) (A) The state entity or its designee shall submit to the Department of Justice fingerprint images, and any other related information required by the Department of Justice, of an employee, prospective employee, contractor, agent, volunteer, vendor, subcontractor, or employee of a contractor of the state entity or its designee whose duties or responsibilities include having access to federal tax information received by the state entity or its designee. The fingerprint images and any other related information of an employee, prospective employee, contractor, agent, volunteer, vendor, subcontractor, or employee of a contractor of the state entity or its designee shall be furnished to the Department of Justice for the purpose of obtaining information as to the existence and nature of a record of state or federal level convictions and state or federal level arrests for which the Department of Justice establishes that the applicant was released on bail or on his or her own recognizance pending trial. (B) The state shall meet and confer with impacted state collective bargaining units regarding the impact of this section on terms and conditions of employment. Any violation of this meet-and-confer requirement shall be a matter within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Public Employment Relations Board subject to the provisions of Chapter 10.3 (commencing with Section 3512). (3) A state entity or its designee shall require that any services contract or interagency agreement entered into, renewed, or amended on or after July 1, 2017, that includes access to federal tax information shall include a provision requiring the agency or contractor to agree to criminal background checks of its employees, contractors, agents, volunteers, vendors, or subcontractors who will have access to federal tax information as part of their services contract or interagency agreement with the state entity or its designee. (b) The Department of Justice shall forward to the Federal Bureau of Investigation requests for federal level criminal offender record information received pursuant to subdivision (a). The Department of Justice shall review the information returned by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and compile and disseminate a response to the requesting state entity. (c) The Department of Justice shall respond to the state entity or its designee that has requested the information as provided under subdivision (p) of Section 11105 of the Penal Code. (d) A state entity or its designee shall request state and federal subsequent arrest notification from the Department of Justice, as provided under Section 11105.2 of the Penal Code, for individuals described in subdivision (a). (e) The Department of Justice may charge a fee sufficient to cover the cost of processing requests pursuant to this section. (f) For purposes of this section: (1) “Federal tax information” means return and return information as defined in Section 6103(b) of the Internal Revenue Code, relating to definitions, that is received either from the Internal Revenue Service or from secondary sources, or through an Internal Revenue Service-approved exchange agreement, and that is subject to the requirements set forth in Section 6103(p)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code, relating to safeguards. (2) “State entity” means an agency or officer of the state that is subject to the requirements set forth in Section 6103(p)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code, relating to safeguards. (3) “Designee” is as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 17202 of the Family Code.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026