BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                            



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          |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE            |                       AB 1218|
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                                       CONSENT


          Bill No:  AB 1218
          Author:   Gray (D)
          Amended:  4/16/13 in Assembly
          Vote:     21


           SENATE GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION COMMITTEE  :  11-0, 6/25/13
          AYES:  Wright, Nielsen, Berryhill, Calderon, Cannella, Correa,  
            De León, Galgiani, Hernandez, Lieu, Padilla

           SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE  :  Senate Rule 28.8

           ASSEMBLY FLOOR  :  72-0, 5/24/13 - See last page for vote


           SUBJECT  :    California State Auditor:  duties

           SOURCE  :     State Auditor's Office


           DIGEST  :    This bill adds clarity to existing law by authorizing  
          the California State Auditor (CSA), after performing an audit,  
          to conduct follow-up audit work that is related to the audits'  
          original findings and recommendations. 

           ANALYSIS  :    

          Existing law:

          1.Requires the CSA to conduct financial and performance audits  
            as directed by statute, and to conduct audits of a state or  
            local governmental agencies or other publicly created entities  
            as requested by the Joint Legislative Audit Committee (JLAC).
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          2.Provides that the CSA is appointed by the Governor, from a  
            list submitted by JLAC, to a four-year term.

          This bill adds clarity to existing law by authorizing the CSA,  
          after performing an audit, to conduct follow-up audit work that  
          is related to the audits' original findings and recommendations.  


           Background
           
          SB 37 (Maddy, Chapter 12, Statutes of 1993) created the Bureau  
          of State Audits (BSA) as part of the Executive Branch.  SB 1395  
          (Rubio, Chapter 281, Statutes of 2012) renamed the BSA as the  
          "California State Auditor's Office."

          To assure its independence, the CSA is free from the control of  
          the Executive and Legislative branches; the Milton Marks "Little  
          Hoover" Commission oversees its administrative operations.  The  
          CSA, under the direction of the CSA, performs an annual  
          examination (single audit) of the state's general-purpose  
          financial statements as prepared by the State Controller's  
          Office.  The federal government, as a condition of receiving  
          federal funds, requires this audit.  The single audit also  
          includes a review of major federal programs for compliance with  
          federal laws and regulations, and recommendations to improve the  
          state's financial systems and internal control.

          The CSA also conducts financial and performance audits as  
          directed by statute, and other government audits requested by  
          JLAC.  The CSA has the explicit authority to audit any entity  
          that receives state funds.  Consequently, it sometimes audits at  
          the local government level.  In addition, the CSA administers  
          the "Reporting of Improper Governmental Activities Act," which  
          includes a hotline for anonymous reporting.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :    Appropriation:  No   Fiscal Com.:  Yes    
          Local:  No

           SUPPORT  :   (Verified  8/9/13)

          State Auditor's Office (source)

           ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT  :    This bill authorizes the CSA to conduct  

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          follow-up work related to original audit findings and  
          recommendations.  While the CSA conducts follow-up work under  
          current authority granted by the Government Code, this bill  
          clarifies that authority by making it explicit.  According to  
          the bill's sponsor, the State Auditor, this change is sought so  
          entities subject to follow-up work clearly understand the  
          authority and grant the CSA appropriate access.

           ASSEMBLY FLOOR  :  72-0, 5/24/13
          AYES:  Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Bigelow, Bloom,  
            Blumenfield, Bocanegra, Bonilla, Bradford, Brown, Buchanan,  
            Ian Calderon, Campos, Chau, Chávez, Chesbro, Conway, Cooley,  
            Dahle, Daly, Dickinson, Donnelly, Eggman, Fong, Fox, Frazier,  
            Beth Gaines, Garcia, Gatto, Gomez, Gordon, Gorell, Gray,  
            Hagman, Hall, Harkey, Roger Hernández, Jones, Jones-Sawyer,  
            Levine, Linder, Logue, Lowenthal, Maienschein, Mansoor,  
            Medina, Melendez, Mitchell, Morrell, Mullin, Muratsuchi,  
            Nazarian, Nestande, Olsen, Pan, Patterson, Perea, V. Manuel  
            Pérez, Quirk, Quirk-Silva, Rendon, Salas, Stone, Ting, Wagner,  
            Weber, Wieckowski, Williams, Yamada, John A. Pérez
          NO VOTE RECORDED:  Bonta, Grove, Holden, Skinner, Waldron, Wilk,  
            Vacancy, Vacancy


          MW:ej  8/13/13   Senate Floor Analyses 

                           SUPPORT/OPPOSITION:  SEE ABOVE

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