BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  SB 1271
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   August 4, 2010

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Felipe Fuentes, Chair

                    SB 1271 (Romero) - As Amended:  April 5, 2010 

          Policy Committee:                              ElectionsVote:7-0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          Yes    Reimbursable:  Yes

           SUMMARY  

          This bill amends the Political Reform Act to require every state  
          or local public retirement board, commission, or agency to  
          attach an appendix to its conflict of interest code listing each  
          position with the board for which the individual occupying that  
          position is required to file a Statement of Economic Interest  
          (SEI) as a "public official who manages public investments,"  
          i.e. a salaried or unsalaried member of a public retirement  
          entity that exists as, or within, a governmental agency and that  
          possesses decision making authority. 

          The bill also requires these entities to post this appendix on  
          their website in a manner making it easily identifiable and  
          accessible.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Minor absorbable costs to the Fair Political Practices  
          Commission, the California Public Employees Retirement System,  
          and the California State Teachers Retirement System, and minor  
          reimbursable costs to local retirement systems to comply with  
          the bill's requirements.

           COMMENTS  

           Purpose  . According to the author, "There are some public  
          employee pension systems that have persons who join with the  
          governing bodies and participate in the decision making process  
          during meetings. These persons may be employees or  
          non-employees. Although these persons do not vote, they still  
          have influence in the decision making process. However, these  
          non-employees/employees do not file Statements of Economic  








                                                                  SB 1271
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          Interest; thus, there is a lack of transparency.

          "This bill would encompass those persons who participate in the  
          decision making process, but do not vote, requiring them to file  
          Statements of Economic Interests."

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081