BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                            



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                                    THIRD READING


          Bill No:  SB 803
          Author:   DeSaulnier (D)
          Amended:  1/6/14
          Vote:     21

           
           SENATE GOVERNANCE & FINANCE COMMITTEE  :  5-0, 1/15/14
          AYES:  Wolk, Beall, DeSaulnier, Hernandez, Liu
          NO VOTE RECORDED:  Knight, Vacancy


           SUBJECT  :    Local government: counties:  consolidation of  
          offices

           SOURCE  :     Office of the Contra Costa County District Attorney


           DIGEST  :    This bill allows Contra Costa County supervisors to  
          adopt an ordinance to convert the public administrator's office  
          from an elected to an appointed position.  This bill also adds  
          Contra Costa County to the list of counties that may appoint the  
          same person to the offices of public administrator and public  
          guardian and separate the consolidated offices of district  
          attorney and public administrator.

           ANALYSIS  :    Existing law establishes numerous county officers,  
          including a public administrator and a public guardian.  A  
          county public administrator administers the estates of people  
          who die without a will, any known relatives, or any other  
          qualified person willing or able to administer their estates.  A  
          county public guardian acts as the legally appointed guardian or  
          conservator for people found to be unable to properly care for  
          themselves or their finances. 
                                                                CONTINUED





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          Existing law requires voters to elect 10 county officers,  
          including the public administrator.  Counties can appoint  
          several other officers, including the public guardian.  County  
          supervisors can convert elected offices into appointed offices  
          with voter approval.

          This bill allows Contra Costa County supervisors to adopt an  
          ordinance to convert the public administrator's office from an  
          elected to an appointed position.  This bill also adds Contra  
          Costa County to the list of counties that may appoint the same  
          person to the offices of public administrator and public  
          guardian and separate the consolidated offices of district  
          attorney and public administrator.

           Comments
           
          The Legislature has allowed thirteen counties to convert the  
          public administrator's office from an elected to an appointed  
          position, Mendocino County, Lake County, Madera County, Trinity  
          County, Solano County, Tuolumne County, Glenn County, Napa  
          County, Sonoma County, Lassen County and Monterey County,  
          Ventura County, and Amador County. 

          The Legislature also has allowed eight counties to consolidate  
          the offices of public administrator and public guardian, Solano  
          County, Glenn County, Sonoma County, Lassen County and Monterey  
          County, Ventura County and Kings County, and Amador County.

          The Legislature has allowed ten counties to separate the  
          consolidated offices of district attorney and public  
          administrator:  Mendocino, Lake County, Madera County, Trinity  
          County, Tuolumne County, Glenn County, Napa County, Lassen  
          County, and Amador County. 

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

           SUPPORT  :   (Verified  1/15/14)

          Office of the Contra Costa County District Attorney (source)
          Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors

           ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT  :    Supporters state that, "The flexibility  







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          this bill would provide the Contra Costa County Board of  
          Supervisors with respect to appointing the Public Administrator  
          function would assist the County in its determination of the  
          most effective and efficient performance of the responsibilities  
          and duties of the position."

          AB:d  1/16/14   Senate Floor Analyses 

                           SUPPORT/OPPOSITION:  SEE ABOVE

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