BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                  SB 486
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   August 14, 2013

           ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON ACCOUNTABILITY AND ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW
                                 Jim Frazier, Chair
                   SB 486 (DeSaulnier) - As Amended:  July 3, 2013

           SENATE VOTE  :   39-0
           
          SUBJECT  :   Office of Strategic Assessment and Accountability

           SUMMARY  :   Creates the Office of Strategic Assessment and  
          Accountability (OSAA) within the California State Transportation  
          Agency (CalSTA) to oversee the California Department of  
          Transportation (Caltrans). Specifically,  this bill  :   

             1)   Charges OSAA with ensuring ongoing performance  
               measurement, transparency, and public accountability of  
               Caltrans. 

             2)   Requires OSAA to work with Caltrans to identify  
               performance measurement benchmarks.

             3)   Requires OSAA to report publically and to the California  
               Transportation Commission (Commission) about Caltrans'  
               performance.


           EXISTING LAW  creates CalSTA within state government.  CalSTA,  
          which was established under the Governor's Reorganization Plan  
          No. 2 of 2012, oversees Caltrans and other transportation  
          agencies and is charged with developing and coordinating the  
          policies and programs of the state's transportation entities to  
          achieve the state's mobility, safety and air quality objectives  
          of its transportation system.  

           FISCAL EFFECT  :   The current version of this bill has not yet  
          been analyzed by a fiscal committee.

           COMMENTS  :  This bill would create OSAA within CalSTA to oversee  
          Caltrans.  Specifically, OSAA would focus on evaluating specific  
          performance measurement benchmarks that CalSTA identifies in  
          consultation with the Director of Caltrans.  These measures  
          would relate to enhancement of public safety; system  
          preservation and rehabilitation; and efficiency and  
          cost-effectiveness of project delivery.  The proposed program is  








                                                                  SB 486
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          modeled after a similar program in Washington State's Department  
          of Transportation. 

          OSAA would be required to report at least quarterly about  
          Caltrans' performance in meeting the benchmarks.  OSAA would  
          post this information on its website and report the first  
          results to the California Transportation Commission on or before  
          July 1, 2014, and quarterly thereafter.

          According to the author, the bill is needed in light of recent  
          Caltrans' scandals, to "instill some discipline and improve  
          Caltrans' management of the state transportation system and  
          funding."  On March 28, 2013, the California State Auditor  
          released an investigative report on Caltrans.  The report found  
          that Caltrans workers falsified test data on transportation  
          projects, claimed hundreds of hours of overtime that they had  
          not worked, and engaged in an "inexcusable neglect of duty,"  
          according to the report.     

          Caltrans has a Division of Audits and Investigations (A&I),  
          which currently conducts internal and external audits and  
          investigations.  The Deputy Director of A&I is a member of  
          Caltrans' executive management team and reports directly to both  
          the Chief Deputy Director for administrative matters and the  
          Director of Caltrans on major audit issues.  This bill would  
          establish a separate oversight function of Caltrans that is  
          outside of the department.

           DOUBLE REFERRAL  :  This bill is double referred to the Assembly  
          Committee on Transportation and is set to be heard by that  
          committee on August 12, 2013.  

           REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION  :

           Support 
           
          California Nevada Cement Association
          Automobile Club of Southern California
          Transportation California
          United Contractors
          Three individuals
           
            Opposition 
           
          None on file








                                                                  SB 486
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           Analysis Prepared by  :    Scott Herbstman / A. & A.R. / (916)  
          319-3600