Local agencies: financial management training.

Existing law provides for the establishment and operations of cities, counties, cities and counties, districts, and other local government agencies, the composition of their governing bodies, and the payment of governing body members for attending meetings and performing other duties, and prescribes conflicts of interest. Existing law requires that all local agency officials, as specified, receive ethics training. This bill would require a local agency official, in local agency service as of January 1, 2014, or thereafter, except for an official whose term of office ends before January 1, 2015, to receive training in financial management if the local agency provides any type of compensation, salary, or stipend to, or reimburses the expenses of, a member of a legislative body. The bill would require the Treasurer's office and the Controller's office, in consultation with other state agencies, associations, and outside experts, to work together to develop standardized criteria that sufficiently meet specified requirements. The bill would require curricula developed by any entity to meet criteria put forth by the Treasurer's office and the Controller's office. The bill would declare that the edification of local government officials in financial management is a matter of statewide concern, thus making it applicable to charter cities, charter counties, and charter cities and counties. Because the bill would impose new duties on local governments, it would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.