BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 362
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Date of Hearing: March 25, 2015
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON ACCOUNTABILITY AND ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW
Rudy Salas, Chair
AB 362
Waldron - As Amended March 16, 2015
SUBJECT: State printing: demonstration project: process free
printing
SUMMARY: Allows the Department of General Services (DGS) to
engage in a pilot printing program that would be paid for by a
participating vendor. Specifically, this bill:
1)Authorizes DGS to engage in a "process free printing plates"
pilot project to demonstrate the possible environmental and
economic benefits of this technology.
2)Requires that if DGS conducts such a pilot, the participating
private vendor will pay for the project's cost.
EXISTING LAW: requires that the Office of State Printing (OSP),
under DGS, shall conduct all state printing and generally
provides OSP with discretion to determine appropriate printing
methods.
FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown
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COMMENTS: This bill authorizes, but does not require, DGS to
conduct a "process free printing plates" pilot program.
Traditional printing requires the development of plates that are
created with chemical developers. The process-free approach,
proposed in this bill, eliminates chemical processing. The
sponsor of this bill, Kodak, states that besides eliminating
chemicals, the use of process free printing plates reduces water
and energy uses.
While the OSP has not used process free printing plates for its
printing, it has been moving towards digital printing. This
method also does not require the chemical development of plates.
This bill leaves the decision to participate in a pilot program
to DGS, but requires that a vendor participating in the pilot
will cover its costs. While such an approach could reduce state
expenses, it is potentially inconsistent with procurement
guidance to state agencies, as specified in the State
Contracting Manual (SCM).
Specifically, the SCM "recommends that departments do not accept
suppliers' offers of goods or services without cost or
obligation to the State. If a department's decision is contrary
to this recommendation, the department must execute a purchase
document to document the agreement." According to DGS, this
direction is to prevent a vendor from receiving preferential
treatment or the perception of preferential treatment. The SCM
further advises that, "Before accepting any suppliers' goods and
services offered at no cost or obligation to the department, the
department must consider the perception of the acceptance to
other suppliers."
Additionally, DGS is authorized under current law to decide the
manner of printing it uses and does not appear to need
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additional authority to try different printing methods.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
Kodak (sponsor)
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by:Scott Herbstman / A. & A.R. / (916)
319-3600
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