BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1508
Page 1
Date of Hearing: May 6, 2015
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Jimmy Gomez, Chair
AB
1508 (Roger Hernandez) - As Amended March 26, 2015
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No
SUMMARY:
This bill requires the Governor to designate an independent
chief policy adviser for the underground economy. Specifically,
this bill:
AB 1508
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1)Specifies the adviser's responsibilities, including monitoring
and evaluating the state's existing underground economy task
forces and interagency partnerships to ensure that they are
organized efficiently and to determine whether they should be
restructured or eliminated to improve effectiveness. Further,
requires the advisor to assess whether resources are
sufficient; including review of enforcement staffing and
funding levels.
2)Requires the advisor, on or before than January 1, 2017, to
submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature that
summarizes the adviser's findings and recommendations, with a
particular emphasis on any recommended administrative or
legislative changes.
FISCAL EFFECT:
General Fund costs in the range of $150,000 to $200,000 for the
chief policy advisor to monitor and evaluate the taskforces and
interagency partnerships as well as submit a report to the
Legislature as specified.
COMMENTS:
Purpose. There are currently four major state-level task forces
that focus on the underground economy. The Labor Enforcement
Task Force and the Joint Enforcement Strike Force primarily
focus on labor violations. Two more recently established task
forces, the Revenue Recovery and Collaborative Enforcement Team
and the Tax Recovery and Criminal Enforcement Task Force focus
on identifying and prosecuting criminal tax evasion.
AB 1508
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In March 2015, the Little Hoover Commission released a report
entitled, "Level the Playing Field: Put California's Underground
Economy Out of Business." That report made a number of findings
and recommendations. Among these, the Commission found that
although numerous government organizations focus on tackling the
underground economy, no one is directly in charge.
According to the author, consistent with the Commission's
recommendations, this bill requires the Governor to appoint an
independent chief policy advisor for the underground economy.
Further, the bill requires the advisor to submit a report to the
Governor and the Legislature that summarizes findings and
recommendations, with a particular emphasis on any recommended
administrative or legislative changes.
Analysis Prepared by:Misty Feusahrens / APPR. / (916)
319-2081