BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SB 479
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Date of Hearing: June 19, 2013
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON ACCOUNTABILITY AND ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW
Jim Frazier, Chair
SB 479 (Block) - As Amended: April 4, 2013
SENATE VOTE : 34-0-4
SUBJECT : State government: Secretary of State: duties.
SUMMARY : Changes the management of state records within the
Department of General Services (DGS) and Secretary of State's
Office (SOS). Specifically, this bill :
1) Transfers the responsibility of state records management
from DGS to SOS.
2) Transfers three staff positions and their files from the
California Records Information Management (CalRIM) program
housed with the State Printer under DGS to the Secretary of
State under the State Archives Division.
3) Changes the name of the "Keeper of the Archives" to the
"Chief of Archives."
4) Provides that DGS will continue to operate the State
Records Center, retaining its staff and its responsibility
for storing records for state agencies.
5) Allows the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board, with the
approval of the SOS, to destroy or otherwise dispose of a
file kept by it in connection with a proceeding regarding
workers' compensation and insurance.
6) Makes numerous technical, nonsubstantive, conforming and
code maintenance changes.
EXISTING LAW:
1) Requires the SOS to appoint a competent person to the
position of Keeper of the Archives.
2) Specifies that the Keeper of the Archives is responsible
for the preservation and indexing of material deposited in
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the State Archives, and shall make the material readily
available for use.
3) Requires DGS to manage state records, as specified in
the State Records Management Act.
4) Allows the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board, with the
approval of the Department of Finance, to destroy or
otherwise dispose of a file kept by it in connection with a
proceeding.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, the first year costs will be $303,000 and annually
$288,000 for the transfer of three staff positions from DGS to
SOS. This is an interagency funds transfer and except for
$15,000 in transitional expenses, it will not result in any new
costs. Personnel being transferred from the CalRIM program
consist of three personnel years (Records Management Analyst
II).
COMMENTS : This bill, which is sponsored by the SOS, transfers
the responsibility of state records management from DGS' CalRIM
program to SOS' California State Archives (State Archives). To
accomplish this change, this bill moves three positions from DGS
to SOS. Additionally, this bill changes the name of the "Keeper
of the Archives" to the "Chief of Archives."
The State Archives, which is part of the SOS, collects,
catalogs, preserves, and provides access to the historic records
of state government and some records of local governments.
Until 1963, the SOS also had responsibility for state records
management. The Central Records Depository was moved from the
SOS to DGS when DGS was created under AB 2006 (Marks), Chapter
1786, Statutes of 1963.
The state records program within DGS is comprised of two program
elements, CalRIM, and the State Records Center (SRC). CalRIM
establishes guidelines for state agencies in records management
and retention, including the management of electronic records.
CalRIM also provides training and other technical services to
help customer agencies establish and maintain effective records
programs.
CalRIM and the State Archives currently review and approve
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records retention schedules prepared by state agencies. The
State Archives staff determines if records identified on an
agency retention schedule have archival value and should
therefore be transferred to the Archives at the end of the
records' lifecycles.
The SRC stores and retrieves vital records and semi-active and
inactive records for state agencies. Under this bill, these
responsibilities will remain under DGS.
According to the author's office, the State's existing program
for creating, managing, and preserving records is not cohesive
and results in significant duplication of efforts and missed
opportunities for efficiency between the State Archives and
DGS/CalRIM. The author's office and SOS explain that the bill
is meant to more efficiently manage records.
The Innoventure Technology Group opposes this bill, contending
that it is premature and that the state should consider various
factors, including what is the best approach to managing state
records, risks associated from shifting responsibilities, and
where is the best fit for these responsibilities.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Secretary of State
Society of California Archivists
Opposition
Innoventure Technology Group
Analysis Prepared by : Scott Herbstman / A. & A.R. / (916)
319-3600