​Under another set of changing guidelines, an equity metric system, counties must show a decrease in COVID-19 cases in disadvantaged neighborhoods before indoor activities can resume. All counties must submit a plan to the State and disclose how funds will be invested to stop the spread of COVID-19.  Data on Racial Demographics here. Read more here.

All public counters in California remain closed at this time.

​SACRAMENTO – The Contractors State License Board (CSLB) is announcing that seven of its eight test centers around California will reopen today Monday, June 15, 2020. Most of the centers will have expanded hours each day to accommodate an additional test session for applicants.

The test centers, located in Berkeley, Fresno, Norwalk, Oxnard, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, and San Jose, closed on March 19, 2020 to help limit the spread of COVID-19. All test centers with exception of Berkeley will open next Monday.

CSLB staff have remained on-duty during the test center shutdown, processing license applications and assisting applicants in their efforts to prepare for their licensing exams. Most applicants must take and pass two exams for licensure. It is typical to have about 4,500 pending exams. While closed, the number of exams waiting to be taken grew to more than 9,000.

It will take some time to get these numbers down, as we will operate with reduced testing capacity to comply with physical distancing requirements. To make up for lost seats, CSLB has turned its Sacramento headquarters hearing room and a conference room at its Norwalk office into auxiliary test centers.

Even so, the number of tests CSLB will be able to administer each day will be 10% less than before the COVID-19 health emergency.

CSLB is taking special steps to make sure test centers are safe for both applicants and staff. They include disinfecting test stations after each candidate finishes their exams.

There are two important items of note for candidates:

1. To be admitted into a test center, candidates must wear a mask or other face covering
2. If you appear ill, CSLB will require you to reschedule your exam at least 5-days later, at no additional charge
3. Candidates will not be admitted into the test center more than 15 minutes prior to their exam time

The best way to reach CSLB staff with questions regarding applications or exams is via email: For Licensing or License Application Questions/Issues:  Licensing@cslb.ca.gov
Be sure to include your phone number and other relevant information, such as license number, application fee number, and any other information that will help staff provide you a thorough response.

To Reschedule a Cancelled Exam:  Exams@cslb.ca.gov
Be sure to include your name and application number. Please note that CSLB is waiving the rescheduling fee for cancelled exams.

Earlier this week, San Francisco, in tandem with five other Bay Area counties — Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Mateo and Santa Clara — announced extensions "through May" to their respective shelter-in-place orders.

SRBX has written a joint letter to each of the Bay Area Public Health Directors detailing the enhance safety protocols and CDC guidelines that construction sites are implementing and urged each county to align with state orders by recognizing all construction as “essential” and include all aspects of construction to their revised orders.  Read letter here. 

Governor Newsom Outlines Six Critical Indicators the State will Consider Before Modifying the Stay-at-Home Order
Newsom unveiled six key indicators that will guide California’s thinking for when and how to modify the stay-at-home and other orders during the COVID-19 pandemic.
California’s six indicators for modifying the stay-at-home order are:

• The ability to monitor and protect our communities through testing, contact tracing, isolating, and supporting those who are positive or exposed;
• The ability to prevent infection in people who are at risk for more severe COVID-19;
• The ability of the hospital and health systems to handle surges;
• The ability to develop therapeutics to meet the demand;
• The ability for businesses, schools, and child care facilities to support physical distancing; and
• The ability to determine when to reinstitute certain measures, such as the stay-at-home orders, if necessary.

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The Governor said there is not a precise timeline for modifying the stay-at-home order, but that these six indicators will serve as the framework for making that decision. Newsom has issued 29 executive orders since March – you can see the list here.

URGENT: Essential businesses in Sacramento County required to implement social distancing protocols.

On April 7, 2020, the County of Sacramento released an updated Stay at Home Order. In this updated order, all construction remains as a designated “essential industry,” but an important directive was added.

All essential businesses must prepare a “Social Distancing Protocol.” To facilitate this protocol, the Sacramento County Department of Public Health included an example of a Social Distancing Protocol form appended to the order.

A copy of your company’s protocol must be provided to each employee and businesses must provide evidence of its implementation to any authority enforcing the Order.

SRBX recommends all members utilize the suggested protocol furnished by Sacramento County. Please use this link to download a template. Continued reinforcement and practice of recommended safety protocols will keep our industry building safely. ​

​While SRBX understands the importance of keeping jobsites moving forward during these difficult and unprecedented times, we are working with industry partners to encourage Cal OSHA and Federal OSHA to provide reasonable and uniform guidelines for our member companies who encounter days missed by employees due to illness related to COVID-19 (View letter here). We will continue to work with state and federal agencies to assist them as they develop more specific guidance regarding reporting.