Regional centers: audits and reviews.

Under existing law, the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act, the State Department of Developmental Services is authorized to contract with regional centers to provide services and supports to individuals with developmental disabilities. Existing law requires an entity that receives payments from one or more regional centers to obtain an independent audit or independent review report of its financial statements based upon the amount it receives from the regional center or regional centers during the entity's fiscal year. This bill would, commencing January 1, 2018, instead require the entity to obtain an independent review report or an independent audit of its financial statements based upon the amount it receives from the regional center or regional centers during each state fiscal year. Existing law requires regional centers to notify the department of all qualified opinion reports or reports noting significant issues that directly or indirectly impact regional center services within 30 days after receipt. This bill would also require a regional center to submit copies of all independent audit reports that it receives to the department for review. The bill would require the department to compile data, by regional center, on vendor compliance with audit requirements and opinions resulting from audit reports and to annually publish the data in a performance dashboard.