SECTIONS 8521-8525 - California Statutes

GOVERNMENT CODE

SECTION 8521-8525

8521. It is the purpose of the Legislature in creating the
commission, to secure assistance for the Governor and itself in
promoting economy, efficiency, and improved service in the
transaction of the public business in the various departments,
agencies, and instrumentalities of the executive branch of the state
government, and in making the operation of all state departments,
agencies, and instrumentalities, and all expenditures of public
funds, more directly responsive to the wishes of the people as
expressed by their elected representatives, by any or all of the
following means:
(a) By adopting methods and procedures for reducing expenditures
to the lowest amount consistent with the efficient performance of
essential services, activities, and functions.
(b) By eliminating duplication and overlapping of services,
activities, and functions, and time-consuming or wasteful practices.
(c) By consolidating services, activities, and functions of a
similar nature.
(d) By abolishing services, activities, and functions not
necessary to the efficient conduct of government.
(e) By the elimination of unnecessary state departments and
agencies, the creation of necessary new state departments and
agencies, the reorganization of existing state departments and
agencies, and the transfer of functions and responsibilities among
state departments and agencies.
(f) By defining or redefining the duties and responsibilities of
state officers.
(g) By revising present provisions for continuing or permanent
appropriations of state funds of whatever kind for whatever purpose,
by eliminating any such existing provisions, and by adopting new
provisions.

8521.5. The Legislature finds that our system of government is a
complex structure of interlocking relationships among all levels of
government for managing public funds and programs. Officials and
employees who manage and administer these programs must be
accountable for their activities to the public. The Legislature
recognizes that governmental audits are an important cornerstone in
the system of accountability expected by the people of California.
One of the most important aspects of public accountability is whether
the use of state funds and resources complies with the Legislature's
statutory mandates.
Under the direction of the Milton Marks "Little Hoover" Commission
on California State Government Organization and Economy, the State
Auditor shall meet the needs of state government for periodic audits
of organizations, programs, and services. The State Auditor shall
conduct an independent audit for use by the executive and legislative
branches of state government to promote sound fiscal and
administrative policy for the government of the state, fulfill the
condition for the receipt of billions of dollars in federal grant
funds, and provide an independent financial audit report that is
relied upon by underwriters, bond-rating companies, and potential
investors.

8522. The commission, on its own motion, may, for the purpose of
making reports and recommendations to assist the Legislature in
respect to the matters listed in Section 8521, examine in detail the
structure, organization, operation, and functions of every
department, agency, and instrumentality in the executive branch of
the state government, and all provisions of law and regulations
pertaining thereto, and may examine all present provisions of law
pertaining to continuing or permanent appropriations of public funds
and the methods used in administering such provisions. The commission
may make such recommendations to the Governor and to the Legislature
at such time, or times as the commission deems necessary.

8522.5. The commission shall review final reports and make
recommendations to the Legislature and the Governor concerning the
results of state audits and the revenues and expenditures of the
state, its departments, subdivisions, agencies, and other public
entities.

8523. (a) The Governor shall submit to the commission for study and
recommendation any reorganization plan which he intends to submit to
the Legislature pursuant to authority vested in the Governor by the
Legislature under Section 6 of Article V of the Constitution at least
30 days prior to submission of such plan to the Legislature. The
commission shall make its report to the Governor and the Legislature
within 30 days of the date on which the Governor submits any such
plan to the Legislature. The commission may, on its own initiative,
undertake a study of any reorganization proposal submitted to the
Legislature and make reports to the Governor and the Legislature as
it deems necessary.
(b) Prior to transmittal of a plan to the Commission on California
State Government Organization and Economy pursuant to this section
the Governor shall submit each plan to the Legislative Counsel in
order that it may be submitted to the Legislature in the form and
language suitable for enactment in the statutes at large. The
Legislative Counsel shall prepare a digest of the plan which shall be
printed commencing on the first page thereof.
It is the intent of the Legislature in requiring the use of
statutory format language to insure that reorganization plans
submitted to it express clearly and specifically the nature and
purposes of the plan.
(c) Notwithstanding subdivision (a) of this section, the Governor
may submit a reorganization plan directly to the Legislature if such
plan is substantially identical to a plan previously submitted to the
commission during the same legislative session.

8524. The commission may devise a basic test to determine what, if
any, governmental activities should be granted continuing or
permanent appropriations.

8525. The commission may submit to the Legislature and the
Governor, at such time, or times, as the commission deems necessary,
interim reports of its activities.