HomeMy WebLinkAboutSB 456 (Ashby) - Contractor Exemption - Muralists - Letter of SUPPORTCity of San Luis Obispo, Office of the City Council, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA, 93401-3249, 805.781.7114,
slocity.org
March 19, 2025
The Honorable Angelique Ashby
California State Senate
1021 O Street, Room 8630
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: SB 456 (Ashby) Community Beautification Act.
Notice of SUPPORT (As Introduced 02/19/25)
Dear Senator Ashby,
The City of San Luis Obispo is pleased to support SB 456 (Ashby), which would exempt muralists from
having to obtain a contractors license through the California State Licensing Board (CSLB) before
being commissioned for public and private art projects.
The City of San Luis Obispo recognizes that public art and murals are proven drivers of community
and economic health, attracting tourists, supporting jobs, generating revenue, and improving public
safety and well-being.
However, in 2023, public notices began being issued to municipalities indicating that muralists fall
within the definition of a "contractor" under Business and Professions Code section 7026. As a result,
muralists must carry a contractor's license if they undertake a mural on a building for more than
$500. Additionally, per Business and Professions Code section 7028.15 (e), city staff may be fined for
knowingly hiring an unlicensed muralist. Due to these licensure requirements, cities across California
have had to cease or stall the implementation of mural projects.
To qualify for these commercial licenses, muralists must accumulate four years of specialized
experience under a licensed contractor, pass the Law and Business examination, and pay annual
licensing fees. These requirements create unnecessary barriers to work on public art projects and
expose city employees and artists to fines if such requirements are not met.
Because of the licensure requirements, the City was required to postpone, cancel, or significantly
modify planned public art projects. For example, the City changed its Utility Box Art program from a
program in which community artists could paint directly on to utility boxes to beautify the City, to a
program in which the City purchased digital designs from artists and hired licensed contractors to
install vinyl wraps. With this required change, artists no longer receive the full budgeted dollar
amount for the utility box art and instead, the majority of the budget is paid to vinyl wrap installation
company leaving the final monetary payout for artists significantly less. The City also had to cancel
an active Call to Artists for a community mural altogether because no licensed contractor/artists
applied, and a vinyl wrap proved infeasible.
Muralists provide a fundamentally different service than a painting contractor, as their work is an
artistic expression rather than addressing the structural integrity of a building. It is appropriate to
provide a narrow exception to the state’s licensing requirements for muralists, as SB 456 seeks to
provide them with the flexibility to continue their artistic expression.
For these reasons, the City of San Luis Obispo is pleased to support SB 456 (Ashby).
Sincerely,
Erica A. Stewart
Mayor
City of San Luis Obispo
cc. Senator John Laird
Assembly Member Dawn Addis
Dave Mullinax, League of California Cities
League of California Cities, cityletters@cacities.org