BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1518
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 1518 (Anderson)
As Amended January 25, 2010
Majority vote
BUSINESS & PROFESSIONS 11-0
APPROPRIATIONS 17-0
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Ayes:|Hayashi, Emmerson, |Ayes:|De Leon, Conway, Ammiano, |
| |Conway, Eng, Hernandez, | |Bradford, Charles |
| |Hill, Nava, Niello, | |Calderon, Coto, Davis, |
| |John A. Perez, Ruskin, | |Fuentes, Hall, Harkey, |
| |Smyth | |Miller, Nielsen, John A. |
| | | |Perez, Skinner, Solorio, |
| | | |Audra Strickland, |
| | | |Torlakson |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
| | | | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY : Requires the Department of Finance (DOF) to submit a
report to the Assembly Committee on Business and Professions and
the Senate Committee on Business, Professions and Economic
Development that identifies every state board, commission, and
committee DOF determines to be inactive, as defined, on or
before July 1, 2011.
EXISTING LAW establishes various state boards, commissions, and
committees.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, costs of less than $50,000 GF for DOF to report on
inactive state boards and commissions.
COMMENTS : According to the author's office, "Hundreds of
boards, commissions, and committees are on the books, but no
one's kept track of how many there are. It simply doesn't make
sense to keep non-functioning pieces of government laying
around. This is an easy way to start by cleaning up the codes
where there is simply nothing going on, and promotes a vision of
a more efficient and leaner shape of government."
In support of this bill, the author's office quotes directly
from the Little Hoover Commission, "California, like many states
AB 1518
Page 2
during the last century, built a government that relied heavily
on boards and commissions to improve government decision-making.
Boards and commissions - if well structured and managed - can
be effective mechanisms for serving the public. But boards and
commissions also are frequently cited as examples of waste and
abuse of government resources. The case is usually made through
examples of bodies that are too independent - not accountable to
the people, to the legislation that authorizes their activity,
to the appointing powers or even the facts before them. There
are some instances where members are given full-time pay for
part-time work. Some boards are too close to the profession or
business they are expected to regulate. And there are even more
boards that are not providing the advice or oversight that is
expected of them."
Analysis Prepared by : Rebecca May / B. & P. / (916) 319-3301
FN: 0003629