Small business advocate: report on costly regulations.

Existing law creates the Office of Small Business Advocate in the Office of Planning and Research in the Governor's office, and requires the advocate to, among other things, receive and respond to complaints from small businesses concerning the actions of state agencies and the operative effects of state laws and regulations adversely affecting those businesses. This bill would require the advocate to commission a study of the costs of specific state regulations on small businesses and identify the 10 costliest regulations on California small businesses. The bill would require the advocate to make recommendations on how California's regulatory process can more effectively assess the impact of these regulations on small businesses and methods for developing policy-appropriate alternatives, while avoiding recommendations that could diminish wage and hour, social insurance, or health and safety protections for workers. The bill would require the advocate to convene a small business advisory committee, as specified, to provide advice on the study. The bill would require the advocate, no later than October 1, 2011, to submit the completed study, including recommendations, to the Department of Finance and specified members of the Legislature.