AB 2528, as introduced, Chu. The California State Auditor.
Existing law, the California Whistleblower Protection Act requires the California State Auditor to administer the act and to investigate and report on improper governmental activities, as defined. Existing law requires the California State Auditor to establish a means for submission of allegations of improper governmental activity. Existing law also prohibits the California State Auditor from disclosing the identity of a person who provides information that results in an investigation, or of any person providing information in confidence to further an investigation, without obtaining the person’s express permission.
This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to these provisions.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Section 8547.5 of the Government Code is
2amended to read:
(a) The State Auditor shall create the means for the
4submission of allegations of improper governmental activitybegin delete bothend delete
5 by transmission via mail or other carrier to a specified mailing
P2 1address andbegin insert byend insert electronic submission through an Internet Web site
2portal. The State Auditor may request that a person submitting an
3allegation provide his or her name and contact information and
4provide the names and contact information for any persons who
5could help to substantiate the claim. However, the State Auditor
6shall not require any person submitting an allegation to provide
7his or her name or contact information and shall clearly state on
8the agency
Internet Web site that this information is not required
9in order to submit an allegation.
10(b) Upon receiving specific information that any employee or
11state agency has engaged in an improper governmental activity,
12the State Auditor may conduct an investigation of the matter. The
13identity of the person providing the information that initiated the
14investigation, or of any person providing information in confidence
15to further an investigation, shall not be disclosed without the
16express permission of the person providing the information except
17that the State Auditor may make the disclosure to a law
18enforcement agency that is conducting a criminal investigation.
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