Newly introduced legislation would require California lawyers to report to the state bar colleagues who commit professional misconduct.

Senate Bill 42, carried by Senate Judiciary Chairman Tom Umberg, D-Santa Ana, says a lawyer who “knows that another licensee has engaged in professional misconduct that raises a substantial question as to that licensee’s honesty, trustworthiness, or fitness as an attorney in other respects” must alert bar investigators. The bill contains exceptions for information covered by attorney-client privilege or obtained through a state bar program for lawyers experiencing substance abuse or mental health issues.