(a) An institution exempt from all or part of this chapter pursuant to subdivision (i) of Section 94874 or Section 94874.1 may apply to the bureau for an approval to operate pursuant to this section, but only subject to all of the following provisions:

(1) The bureau may approve the operation of an institution that is exempt from all or part of this chapter as specified above in accordance with the authority granted pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 94885). Upon issuing an approval to operate to an institution pursuant to this section, the bureau is authorized to regulate that institution through the full set of powers granted, and duties imposed, by this chapter, as those powers and duties would apply to an institution that is not exempt from this chapter.

(2) Notwithstanding any other law, upon issuance of an approval to operate pursuant to this section, the institution is no longer eligible for exemption, from the provisions of this chapter pursuant to subdivision (i) of Section 94874 or Section 94874.1, unless authorized by subsequent legislation.

(3) Upon issuance of an approval to operate pursuant to this section, an institution is subject to all provisions of this chapter, and any regulations adopted pursuant to this chapter, that apply to an institution subject to this chapter, except as expressly provided in paragraph (4).

(4) (A) With respect to the placement and salary or wage data required to be collected, calculated, and reported by Article 16 (commencing with Section 94928), an institution issued an approval to operate pursuant to this section is not required to report on its first School Performance Fact Sheet any data from the period prior to the date of the issuance of the approval to operate that the institution was not required to collect and does not have available to it. An institution shall, however, report available data collected and calculated in accordance with this chapter and applicable regulations, regardless of the purpose for which the data was collected. If the required data is unavailable, the institution shall also disclose the unavailability of the data on all documents required by this chapter and regulations adopted pursuant to this chapter. Upon receiving an approval to operate pursuant to this section, an institution shall commence to collect and calculate all information necessary to comply with Article 16 (commencing with Section 94928).

(B) An institution receiving an approval to operate pursuant to this section shall provide to prospective students the School Performance Fact Sheet, file that fact sheet with the bureau, and post it on the institution’s Internet Web site no later than the first August 1 after the institution is approved to operate and no later than August 1 of each year thereafter. These School Performance Fact Sheets shall report data for the previous two calendar years based upon the number of students who began the program or the number of graduates for each reported calendar year. If two calendar years have not passed since the issuance of the approval to operate by the August 1 deadline for the School Performance Fact Sheet, unless data for two years is available, the institution shall report the required data for the period subsequent to the date of the issuance of the notice of approval.

(b) An institution exempt from all or part of this chapter pursuant to subdivision (i) of Section 94874 or Section 94874.1 that was approved to operate by the bureau before the effective date of this section shall be deemed to have been approved pursuant to this section.

(Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 593, Sec. 9. (SB 1192) Effective January 1, 2017. Repealed as of January 1, 2021, pursuant to Section 94950.)