Information about registered sex offenders is currently available by the Department of Justice through an internet website. This law requires notice of this website to be included in lease or rental agreements, and contracts for sale of residential real property.

AB 1323 deletes those provisions of Megan's Law that established the "900" telephone number by which members of the public could call to inquire whether a named individual was a registered sex offender. The new law requires the Department of Justice to operate a service permitting the public to make an inquiry, regarding at least 6 individuals, and to charge a fee for these requests to be deposited into the Sexual Predator Public Information Account. In addition, this bill makes misuse of this information provided by the Department of Justice a criminal violation.

Effective April 1, 2006, the revised disclosure language will be mandatory for residential sellers of 1-4 unit properties, as well as for residential landlords. C.A.R. will be updating the standard form, Data Base Disclosure (DBD), as well as its purchase and lease agreements to reflect this change in the law. The updated forms should be available in January 2006.