California bar examination., the official text

An act to add and repeal Section 6046.2 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to attorneys.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

The State Bar Act provides for the licensure and regulation of attorneys by the State Bar of California, a public corporation governed by a board of trustees. Existing law authorizes the board of trustees to establish an examining committee, also known as the Committee of Bar Examiners, and requires an applicant for a license to practice law to pass the general bar examination, known as the California bar examination, given by the examining committee. Existing law prohibits the examining committee from altering the bar examination in a manner that requires the substantial modification of the training or preparation required for passage of the examination, except after giving 2 years’ notice of that change.
This bill would require the Committee of Bar Examiners to provide a report to the board of trustees, the Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court, and to the Assembly and Senate Committees on Judiciary on whether adopting a uniform bar examination would be more efficient to administer and lower the cost of administration for the State Bar and examinees. The bill would repeal those provisions on January 1, 2030.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.
Section 6046.2 is added to the Business and Professions Code, to read:
6046.2.
(a) On or before November 30, 2026, the Committee of Bar Examiners shall provide a report to the board of trustees, the Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court, and to the Assembly and Senate Committees on Judiciary pursuant to Section 9795 of the Government Code on whether adopting a uniform bar examination, including, but not limited to, the National Conference of Bar Examiners’ Uniform Bar Examination or any successor or replacement of that exam, would be more efficient to administer and lower the cost of administration for the State Bar and examinees.
(b) This section is repealed on January 1, 2030, pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code.