BILL ANALYSIS �
SB 878
Page 1
Date of Hearing: July 2, 2012
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION
Bonnie Lowenthal, Chair
SB 878 (DeSaulnier) - As Amended: June 25, 2012
SENATE VOTE : Not relevant
SUBJECT : Office of Inspector General for transportation
SUMMARY : Directs the California Transportation Commission (CTC)
to study the appropriateness of establishing an office of
inspector general within state government to oversee
transportation. Specifically, this bill :
1)Requires CTC to study the appropriateness of establishing an
office of inspector general to ensure the California
Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and transportation
agencies with projects funded completely or in part from funds
in the state transportation improvement program (STIP) are
operating efficiently, effectively, and in compliance with
federal and state laws governing the performance of
transportation agencies.
2)Directs CTC to review the federal Inspector General Act of
1978, the experiences of other states that have an office of
inspector general, and the experiences of local transportation
agencies that have an office of inspector general.
3)Directs CTC also to consult with the Bureau of State Audits,
the Inspector General of the United States Department of
Transportation, and other individuals and organizations that
may have relevant information related to an office of
inspector general.
4)Requires CTC to prepare a written report regarding the
advisability of creating an office of inspector general and to
submit the report to the Governor and the Legislature by
January 31, 2014.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Creates an independent Office of the Inspector General to be
responsible for contemporaneous oversight of internal affairs
investigations and the disciplinary process of the Department
SB 878
Page 2
of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
2)Creates Offices of Inspector General for the Los Angeles
Unified School District and the Los Angeles County
Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
3)Creates the Bureau of State Audits (BSA) to be independent of
the executive branch and legislative control.
4)Vests BSA with the responsibility to examine and report
annually upon the financial statements prepared by the
executive branch of the state and to perform other related
assignments, including performance audits that are mandated by
statute.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : Inspectors general are responsible for examining the
actions of government agencies to ensure they are operating in
compliance with generally established policies of government, to
provide leadership and coordination, to recommend policies for
activities designed to promote economy, efficiency, and
effectiveness, and to prevent and detect fraud and abuse.
Inspectors general are used at all levels of governments, for
example:
1)At the federal level, there are over seventy offices of
inspectors general, including an Office of Inspector General
for Transportation.
2)California has multiple inspectors general to oversee state
departments, including Corrections and Rehabilitation, the
California Highway Patrol, and the State Military Department.
3)In Los Angeles, inspectors general oversee the school
district, police department, and transportation authority,
among others.
According to the author, as the state's transportation resources
diminish, efficient and effective use of every dollar becomes
increasingly critical and he believes an office of inspector
general may help encourage improved use of state resources. He
has introduced SB 878 so that the concept can be studied and
SB 878
Page 3
potential costs and benefits evaluated prior to creating the
office.
Suggested amendment: The bill limits the proposed purview of
the inspector general to Caltrans and transportation agencies
with projects funded completely or in part from funds in the
STIP. This scope is far too narrow and should be expanded, at a
minimum, to include high-speed rail as well as transportation
agencies that receive state bond money in addition to STIP
dollars.
Related legislation: AB 471 (Lowenthal) of 2011 would have
created an independent Office of Inspector General to oversee
the High-Speed Rail Authority. That bill was held on the
Assembly suspense file.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
None on file
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Janet Dawson / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093