Examination of petitions: time limitations and reimbursement of costs.

Existing law, the California Public Records Act, requires state and local agencies to make their records available for public inspection, except as provided. Existing law generally includes in the meaning of "public records" any writing containing information relating to the conduct of the public's business prepared, owned, used, or retained by any state or local agency regardless of physical form or characteristics. Under existing law, certain election petitions are not public records and are not open to inspection except by certain persons. Specifically, existing law authorizes, among other persons, the proponents of a petition found to be insufficient or their designated representative to examine the petition no later than 21 days after certification of the insufficiency. This bill would require the examination to conclude no later than 60 days after it commenced. If the examination does not conclude within 5 business days, the bill would require that the proponents of the examination reimburse the county for any costs incurred to continue the examination, as provided. When an examination continues beyond 5 business days, the bill would require the elections official to estimate at the beginning of each day and the proponent to deposit with the elections official a sum required by the elections official to support the examination for that day. The bill would authorize the return of any money deposited in excess of the cost of the examination and provide that money not required to be refunded be deposited in the appropriate public treasury. By imposing new duties on county elections officials related to examination of petitions, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires local agencies, for the purpose of ensuring public access to the meetings of public bodies and the writings of public officials and agencies, to comply with a statutory enactment that amends or enacts laws relating to public records or open meetings and contains findings demonstrating that the enactment furthers the constitutional requirements relating to this purpose. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect. 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, with regard to certain mandates, no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.