BILL ANALYSIS Ó SB 484 Page 1 Date of Hearing: August 17, 2011 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Felipe Fuentes, Chair SB 484 (Rubio) - As Amended: July 11, 2011 Policy Committee: JudiciaryVote: 7-1 Health 10-3 Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: SUMMARY This bill provides the Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) the same access to California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) health care services contracts that the Joint Legislature Audit Committee (JLAC) and the Bureau of State Audits (BSA) have under existing law. FISCAL EFFECT Negligible fiscal impact. COMMENTS Background and Purpose . Although the Public Records Act (PRA) generally requires all public records to be open for public inspection, it permits a number of exceptions. The PRA limits access to CDCR records that relate to its health care services contracts. Specifically, information revealing the process of negotiations is not subject to disclosure for one year after execution of the contract, and information regarding payment rates is not subject to disclosure for three years after execution. These restrictions are intended to protect the competitive nature of the bidding process. Notwithstanding the restrictions, contracts are immediately open to inspection by the JLAC and the BSA, provided that confidentiality is maintained until the contracts would generally be available to the public. This bill gives the LAO the same access to contracts, subject to the same confidentiality requirement. According to the author, the LAO will use this information to analyze CDCR's budget needs. SB 484 Page 2 The most recent amendments deleted provisions requiring CDCR to plan for and implement health care cost reductions. Analysis Prepared by : Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081