(a) An application for registration of a material modification of an existing franchise or of existing franchises shall be in a form and contain information as the commissioner may by rule prescribe, and shall be accompanied by a proposed disclosure form as specified in subdivision (b). The application may be included with an application pursuant to Section 31111 or 31121.

(b) Except as provided in subdivisions (c) and (d), it is unlawful to solicit the agreement of a franchisee to a proposed material modification of an existing franchise without first delivering to the franchisee a written disclosure, in a form and containing information as the commissioner may by rule or order require, identifying the proposed modification, either five business days prior to the execution of any binding agreement by the franchisee to the modification or containing a statement that the franchisee may, by written notice mailed or delivered to the franchisor or a specified agent of the franchisor within not less than five business days following the execution of the agreement, rescind the agreement to the material modification.

(c) Any modification of a franchise agreement with an existing franchisee of a franchisor shall be exempted from the provisions of this chapter, if all of the following are met:

(1) The franchisee receives the complete written modification at least five business days prior to the execution of a binding agreement, or providing that the franchisee may, by written notice mailed or delivered to the franchisor or a specified agent of the franchisor within not less than five business days following the execution of the agreement, rescind the agreement to the material modification; provided (A) the agreement is not executed within 12 months after the date of the franchise agreement, and (B) the modification does not waive any right of the franchisee under the California Franchise Relations Act (Chapter 5.5 (commencing with Section 20000) of Division 8 of the Business and Professions Code), but the modification may include a general release of all known and unknown claims by a party to the modification.

(2) The modification meets one of the following:

(A) The proposed modification is in connection with the resolution of a bona fide dispute between the franchisor and the franchisee or the resolution of a claimed or actual franchisee or franchisor default, and the modification is not applied on a franchise systemwide basis at or about the time the modification is executed. A modification shall not be deemed to be made on a franchise systemwide basis if it is offered on a voluntary basis to fewer than 25 percent of the franchisor’s California franchises within any 12-month period.

(B) The proposed modification is offered on a voluntary basis to fewer than 25 percent of the franchisor’s California franchises within any 12-month period, provided each franchisee is given a right to rescind the modification agreement if the modification is not made in compliance with paragraph (1) of subdivision (c).

(d) Any modification of a franchise agreement with an existing franchise of a franchisee shall be exempted from this chapter if the modification is offered on a voluntary basis and does not substantially and adversely impact the franchisee’s rights, benefits, privileges, duties, obligations, or responsibilities under the franchise agreement.

(e) For purposes of this section, “California franchise” means: (1) an existing franchise of a franchisee with any location in this state from which sales, leases, or other transactions between the franchised business and its customers are made or goods or services are distributed, or (2) an existing franchise of a franchisee that is a resident of this state and that owns, controls, or has an equity interest in the franchise.

(f) A franchisor shall not make modifications in consecutive years for the purpose of evading the 25 percent requirements set forth above.

(Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 458, Sec. 6. Effective September 10, 2004. Operative January 1, 2005, by Sec. 19 of Ch. 458.)