AB 3279 Summary

• Authorizes appointing authorities to remove State Bar board members at any time for continued neglect of duties, incompetence, or unprofessional conduct.

• Increases annual license fees for active licensees to $400 (from $390) and inactive licensees to $100 (from $97.40) for 2025, with payment due dates flexible to not less than 12 months from prior year.

• Requires financial institutions to collect attorney State Bar license numbers for new client trust accounts starting January 1, 2026, and annually report account information to the State Bar to improve oversight of entrusted funds.

• Increases State Bar Court judge compensation: hearing judges to receive full superior court judge salary and presiding judge to receive court of appeal justice salary, with restrictions on funding increases through license fees.

• Establishes temporary annual fees through 2030 for building lease costs ($15/$3.50), employee salaries ($52/$14), client trust account compliance ($5.50/$1.25), and disciplinary diversion programs ($5.50/$1.25) for active and inactive licensees respectively.