Section 8331.

(a) State agencies shall make available on the Internet, on or after July 1, 2001, unless otherwise authorized by the Department of Information Technology pursuant to Executive Order D-3-99, a plain-language form through which individuals can register complaints or comments relating to the performance of that agency. The agency shall provide instructions on filing the complaint electronically, or on the manner in which to complete and mail the complaint form to the state agency, or both, consistent with whichever method the agency establishes for the filing of complaints.

(b) Any printed complaint form used by a state agency as part of the process of receiving a complaint against any licensed individual or corporation subject to regulation by that agency shall be made available by the agency on the Internet on or after July 1, 2001, unless otherwise authorized by the Department of Information Technology pursuant to Executive Order D-3-99. The agency shall provide instructions on filing the complaint electronically, or on the manner in which to complete and mail the complaint form to the state agency, or both, consistent with whichever method the agency establishes for the filing of complaints.

(c) State agencies making a complaint form available on the Internet shall, to the extent feasible:

(1) Advise individuals calling the state agency to lodge a complaint of both of the following:

(A) The availability of the complaint form on the Internet.

(B) That many public libraries provide Internet access.

(2) Include on the Internet the location at which this information may be accessed in the telephone directory in order that citizens will be aware that they may contact the state agency via the Internet or by telephone.

(d) Public libraries, to the extent permitted through donations and other means, may do each of the following:

(1) Provide Internet access to their patrons.

(2) Advertise that they provide Internet access.

(e) Notwithstanding subdivision (a) of Section 11000, state agency as used in this section includes the California State University.

(Amended by Stats. 1999, Ch. 784, Sec. 11. Effective October 10, 1999.)