BILL NUMBER: SB 581 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 18, 2013
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 8, 2013
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 1, 2013
INTRODUCED BY Senator Wyland
( Coauthor: Assembly Member
Weber )
FEBRUARY 22, 2013
An act to amend Sections 15280 and 15286 of the Education Code,
relating to school bonds.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 581, as amended, Wyland. School bonds: bond accountability.
The California Constitution limits the maximum amount of any ad
valorem tax on real property to 1% of the full cash value of the
property except for ad valorem taxes or assessments that pay the
interest and redemption charges on bonded indebtedness incurred by a
school district, community college district, or county office of
education for the construction, rehabilitation, or replacement of
school facilities approved by 55% of the voters if the proposition
includes specified accountability requirements. These accountability
requirements include a requirement that the governing board of either
the school district or community college district or county office
of education conduct annual independent performance and financial
audits. Existing law requires, by March 31 of each year, the annual,
independent financial and performance audits for the preceding fiscal
year to be submitted to a citizens' oversight committee that is
required to be established if a proposition is approved by the
voters, as described above. Existing law requires, without expending
bond funds, the governing board of the district to provide the
citizens' oversight committee with any necessary technical assistance
and administrative assistance and sufficient resources to publicize
the conclusions of the citizens' oversight committee.
This bill would require a copy of any draft of the
required the annual, independent financial and
performance audits for the preceding fiscal year, and a copy
of the audits themselves, to be submitted to the citizens'
oversight committee at the same time they are submitted to the
school district or community college district. The bill would also
require the governing board of the district to provide the citizens'
oversight committee with responses to any and all findings,
recommendations, and concerns addressed in the annual, independent
financial and performance audits within 3 months of receiving the
audits.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 15280 of the Education Code is amended to read:
15280. (a) (1) The governing board of the district shall, without
expending bond funds, provide the citizens' oversight committee with
any necessary technical assistance and shall provide administrative
assistance in furtherance of its purpose and sufficient resources to
publicize the conclusions of the citizens' oversight committee.
(2) The governing board of the district shall provide the citizens'
oversight committee with responses to any and all findings,
recommendations, and concerns addressed in the annual, independent
financial and performance audits required by subparagraphs (C) and
(D) of paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 1 of Article XIII
A of the California Constitution within three months of receiving the
audits.
(b) All citizens' oversight committee proceedings shall be open to
the public and notice to the public shall be provided in the same
manner as the proceedings of the governing board of the district. The
citizens' oversight committee shall issue regular reports on the
results of its activities. A report shall be issued at least once a
year. Minutes of the proceedings of the citizens' oversight committee
and all documents received and reports issued shall be a matter of
public record and be made available on an Internet website
Web site maintained by the governing board of
the district.
SEC. 2. Section 15286 of the Education Code is amended to read:
15286. (a) Consistent with
the provisions contained in subparagraphs (C) and (D) of paragraph
(3) of subdivision (b) of Section 1 of Article XIII A of the
California Constitution, the required annual, independent financial
and performance audits for the preceding fiscal year shall be
submitted to the citizens' oversight committee established pursuant
to Section 15278 by at the same time they are
submitted to the school district or community college district,
no later than March 31 of each year. These audits
shall be conducted in accordance with the Government Auditing
Standards issued by the Comptroller General of the United States for
financial and performance audits.
(b) Both of the following shall be submitted to the citizens'
oversight committee at the same time they are submitted to the school
district or community college district:
(1) A copy of any draft of the required annual, independent
financial and performance audits for the preceding fiscal year.
(2) A copy of the required annual, independent financial and
performance audits for the preceding fiscal year.