State government: Controller: claims audits.

Existing law, the Government Claims Act, generally requires the presentation of all claims for money or damages against local public entities and the state. Existing law provides for the presentation of a claim for which appropriations have been made, or for which state funds are available, under that act to the Controller, in the form and manner prescribed by the general rules and regulations adopted by the Department of General Services. Existing law, with specified exceptions, prohibits the Controller from drawing a warrant for any claim until it has been audited in conformity with law and the general rules and regulations adopted by the Department of General Services governing the presentation and audit of claims. This bill would authorize the Controller to conduct, unless prohibited by the provisions of a state ballot proposition passed by the electorate, financial and compliance audits as the Controller's office deems as necessary for purposes of ensuring that any expenditures, regardless of the source or fund from which the warrants for claims are drawn, are expended in a manner consistent with the law and the voters' intent. The bill would also authorize the Controller to conduct any audits necessary to carry out their constitutional and statutory duties and responsibilities under the law. The bill would require, if an audit is conducted as specified, the Controller to provide a report with specified information from these audits to the Legislature by June 30 following the completion of the audit and would require the Controller to allow all auditees in the report a reasonable period of time to review and comment on the section of the report relating to the auditee, as described. The bill would make related legislative findings and declarations.