The tragic balcony collapse in Berkeley that killed six students and injured seven others last June was the subject of inquiry in the State Capitol by the members of the Senate Business & Professions Committee yesterday. At issue is whether or not any change in law could have proactively helped to avoid the tragedy. A bill authored by Senator Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo) would require a contractor licensee to report to the Contractors State Licensing Board within 90 days of the date that the licensee has knowledge of the conviction of the licensee of any felony or any other crime substantially related to the qualifications, functions, and duties of a licensed contractor, or any civil action settlement or administrative action resulting in a settlement worth $50,000 or more, or a binding arbitration or administrative action resulting in binding arbitration worth $25,000 or more. The bill would also require any insurer providing professional liability insurance to a licensee or a state or local government agency that self-insures that licensee to, within 30 days of payment of all or any portion of a civil action settlement or binding arbitration award against the licensee, report to the registrar the name of the licensee, the amount of value of the settlement or binding arbitration award, the amount paid, and the identity of the payee. The bill would make these provisions operative if the Legislature appropriates moneys from the Contractors’ License Fund for these purposes and grants sufficient hiring authority to the board.