Commission on State Mandates Reports to the Legislature

Commission on State Mandates Reports to the Legislature By Chris Micheli

            Article 3 of Chapter 4 of Part 7 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the California Government Code concerns reports to the Legislature by the Commission on State Mandates (CSM). Government Code Section 17600 requires, at least twice each calendar year, for the CSM to report to the Legislature on the number of mandates it has found and the estimated statewide costs of these mandates. This report also must identify the statewide costs estimated for each mandate and the reasons for recommending reimbursement.

            Government Code Section 17601 requires the CSM to report each January 15 on the number of claims it denied during the preceding calendar year and the basis on which the particular claims were denied. Section 17602 requires the CSM by each January 15 to report to the Legislature the number of individual and consolidated incorrect reduction claims decided during the preceding calendar year and whether and why the reduction was upheld or overturned.

            Government Code Section 17604 requires the Department of Finance, in collaboration with the Secretary of State and the Legislative Analyst’s Office, to convene a working group to evaluate alternatives for funding election-related state mandates. The Department of Finance is required to conduct a survey of county election officials during years in which a statewide general election is held to determine whether or not counties are carrying out the requirements set forth in specified state mandates.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Another Reason to Limit Bill Introductions?

Another Reason to Limit Bill Introductions?  By Chris Micheli             As I did my final review of Governor Newsom’s actions on the 1,046 bills sent to him after the 2023 Legislative Session, I noticed that some of the Governor’s veto messages provide additional rationales for limiting bill introductions.             Out of 156 vetoes from the 2023 Session, the number one reason for the Governor’s veto was budget concerns or cost pressures. In fact, 41% of the vetoes used that basis. That by itself is not a reason to limit bill introductions, but another statistic may provide such a reason…             By my count, just over 1/3 of the bills vetoed by Governor Newsom likely should not have been sent to his Desk and, arguably, should not have made it through the process at all. In fact, perhaps they should not h...
Read more

Frequently Asked Questions about California’s Budget Process

Frequently Asked Questions about California’s Budget Process  By Chris Micheli             What are the main parts of the California state budget? They are the Budget Bill, Budget Bill Junior, Trailer Bills, and Supplemental Reports.             What is the Budget Bill? This bill contains the appropriations and “Budget Bill Language”. Note that only a Budget Bill (or BBJ) can contain multiple appropriations. It requires a majority vote for passage and the bill takes effect immediately. There is just one Budget Bill. What is the “Budget Bill Jr.”? This is the bill that amends the main Budget Bill by making changes to multiple appropriations. There are often multiple BBJs. What is a Trailer Bill? This bill makes the statutory changes needed to implement the budget. It is the same as any other bill, but it takes effect immediately with a majority vote if it contain...
Read more

Can Any Bill Call an Election?

Can Any Bill Call an Election?  By Chris Micheli             In June 2024, we saw two bills that contain a provision to call an election.             Both bills contain a “plus” section at the end of the bill, which is an uncodified statute, stating the following: “this act calls an election within the meaning of Article IV of the California Constitution and shall go into immediate effect.” Such a measure only requires a majority vote, unless some other constitutional provision requires a higher vote threshold (e.g., a tax increase). What is the basis for this statement? Section 8(c)(3) of Article IV of the state Constitution provides: “ Statutes calling elections, statutes providing for tax levies or appropriations for the usual current expenses of the State, and urgency statutes shall go into effect immediately upon their enactment.” However, there is no further gui...
Read more