SB 259: Reports submitted to legislative committees.
- Session Year: 2023-2024
- House: Senate
- Latest Version Date: 2023-09-01
Current Status:
Passed
(2023-09-01: Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 148, Statutes of 2023.)
Introduced
In Committee
First Chamber
In Committee
Second Chamber
Enacted
What does this bill do?
This bill requires state and local agencies to post on their websites any report they send to a legislative committee or to members of the Legislature and to include a one‑page summary, a web link to download the report, and a phone number to order a hard copy. It also requires the Legislative Counsel to create and post a public list of those agency reports and provide a link to that list on the Legislature’s public web system.
The summary is provided by generative AI which can make mistakes. For original language, please view the details in the table below.
Existing law requires a state agency that is required or requested by law to submit a report to the Members of either house of the Legislature generally to submit the report in a specified manner and to post the report on the state agencys internet website.
This bill would additionally require a state agency to post on its internet website any report required or requested by law, or identified in the Legislative Analysts Supplemental Report of the Budget Act, that the state agency submits to a committee of the Legislature or to the Members of either house of the Legislature.
Existing law requires the Legislative Counsel to make various categories of legislative information available to the public in an electronic form.
This bill would additionally require the Legislative Counsel to make available to the public a link to the list of state and local agency reports submitted by state and local agencies to a committee of the Legislature or to the Members of either house of the Legislature generally, as specified.
Existing law requires a state agency that is required or requested by law to submit a report to the Members of either house of the Legislature generally to submit the report in a specified manner and to post the report on the state agencys internet website.
This bill would additionally require a state agency to post on its internet website any report required or requested by law, or identified in the Legislative Analysts Supplemental Report of the Budget Act, that the state agency submits to a committee of the Legislature or to the Members of either house of the Legislature.
Existing law requires the Legislative Counsel to make various categories of legislative information available to the public in an electronic form.
This bill would additionally require the Legislative Counsel to make available to the public a link to the list of state and local agency reports submitted by state and local agencies to a committee of the Legislature or to the Members of either house of the Legislature generally, as specified.
Existing law requires a state agency that is required or requested by law to submit a report to the Members of either house of the Legislature generally to submit the report in a specified manner and to post the report on the state agencys internet website.
This bill would additionally require a state agency to post on its internet website any report, as defined, report required or requested by law, or identified in the Legislative Analysts Supplemental Report of the Budget Act, that the state agency submits to a committee of the Legislature. Legislature or to the Members of either house of the Legislature.
Existing law requires the Legislative Counsel to make various categories of legislative information available to the public in an electronic form.
This bill would additionally require the Legislative Counsel to make available to the public a link to the list of state and local agency reports submitted by state and local agencies to a committee of the Legislature or to the Members of either house of the Legislature generally, as specified.
Existing law requires a state agency that is required or requested by law to submit a report to the Members of either house of the Legislature generally to submit the report in a specified manner and to post the report on the state agencys internet website.
This bill would additionally require a state agency to post on its internet website any report, as defined, that the state agency submits to a committee of the Legislature.
(a)(1)(A)Any report required or requested by law, or identified in the Legislative Analysts Supplemental Report of the Budget Act, to be submitted by a state or local agency to a committee of the Legislature or the Members of either house of the Legislature generally, shall instead be submitted as a printed copy to the Secretary of the Senate, as an electronic copy to the Chief Clerk of the Assembly, and as an electronic or printed copy to the Legislative Counsel. Each report shall include a summary of its contents, not to exceed one page in length. If the report is submitted by a state agency, that agency shall also provide an electronic copy of the summary directly to each member of the appropriate house or houses of the Legislature. Notice of receipt of the report shall also be recorded in the journal of the appropriate house or houses of the Legislature by the secretary or clerk of that house.
(B)Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), reports of the State Bar of California may be submitted electronically to the Secretary of the Senate.
(2)In addition to, and as part of, the information made available to the public in electronic form pursuant to Section 10248, the Legislative Counsel shall make available a list of the reports submitted by state and local agencies, as specified in paragraph (1). If the Legislative Counsel receives a request from a member of the public for a report contained in the list, the Legislative Counsel is not required to provide a copy of the report and may refer the requester to the state or local agency, as the case may be, that authored the report, or to the California State Library as the final repository of public information.
(b)A report shall not be distributed to a Member of the Legislature unless specifically requested by that Member.
(c)Compliance with subdivision (a) shall be deemed to be full compliance with subdivision (c) of Section 10242.5.
(d)A state agency report and summary subject to this section shall include an Internet Web site where the report can be downloaded and telephone number to call to order a hard copy of the report. A report submitted by a state agency subject to this section shall also be posted at the agencys Internet Web site.
(e)For purposes of this section, report includes any study or audit.
SEC. 2.Section 10248 of the Government Code is amended to read:10248.Public computer network; required legislative information.
(a)The Legislative Counsel shall, with the advice of the Assembly Committee on Rules and the Senate Committee on Rules, make all of the following information available to the public in electronic form:
(1)The legislative calendar, the schedule of legislative committee hearings, a list of matters pending on the floors of both houses of the Legislature, and a list of the committees of the Legislature and their members.
(2)The text of each bill introduced in each current legislative session, including each amended, enrolled, and chaptered form of each bill.
(3)The bill history of each bill introduced and amended in each current legislative session.
(4)The bill status of each bill introduced and amended in each current legislative session.
(5)All bill analyses prepared by legislative committees in connection with each bill in each current legislative session.
(6)All audiovisual recordings of legislative proceedings that have been caused to be made by the Legislature in accordance with paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of Section 7 of Article IV of the California Constitution. Each recording shall remain accessible to the public through the Internet and downloadable for a minimum period of 20 years following the date on which the recording was made and shall then be archived in a secure format.
(7)All vote information concerning each bill in each current legislative session.
(8)Any veto message concerning a bill in each current legislative session.
(9)The California Codes.
(10)The California Constitution.
(11)All statutes enacted on or after January 1, 1993.
(12)A link to the list of state and local agency reports required by paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 9795.
(b)The information identified in subdivision (a) shall be made available to the public by means of access by way of the largest nonproprietary, nonprofit cooperative public computer network. The information shall be made available in one or more formats and by one or more means in order to provide the greatest feasible access to the general public in this state. Any person who accesses the information may access all or any part of the information. The information may also be made available by any other means of access that would facilitate public access to the information. The information that is maintained in the legislative information system that is operated and maintained by the Legislative Counsel shall be made available in the shortest feasible time after the information is available in the information system. The information that is not maintained in the information system shall be made available in the shortest feasible time after it is available to the Legislative Counsel.
(c)Any documentation that describes the electronic digital formats of the information identified in subdivision (a) and is available to the public shall be made available by means of access by way of the computer network specified in subdivision (b).
(d)Personal information concerning a person who accesses the information may be maintained only for the purpose of providing service to the person.
(e)The Legislative Counsel shall not impose a fee or other charge as a condition of accessing the information that is accessible by way of the computer network specified in subdivision (b).
(f)The electronic public access provided by way of the computer network specified in subdivision (b) shall be in addition to other electronic or print distribution of the information.
(g)An action taken pursuant to this section does not alter or relinquish any copyright or other proprietary interest or entitlement of the State of California relating to any of the information made available pursuant to this section.
(a)(1)(A)Any report required or requested by law, or identified in the Legislative Analysts Supplemental Report of the Budget Act, to be submitted by a state or local agency to a committee of the Legislature or the Members of either house of the Legislature generally, shall instead be submitted as a printed copy to the Secretary of the Senate, as an electronic copy to the Chief Clerk of the Assembly, and as an electronic or printed copy to the Legislative Counsel. Each report shall include a summary of its contents, not to exceed one page in length. If the report is submitted by a state agency, that agency shall also provide an electronic copy of the summary directly to each member of the appropriate house or houses of the Legislature. Notice of receipt of the report shall also be recorded in the journal of the appropriate house or houses of the Legislature by the secretary or clerk of that house.
(B)Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), reports of the State Bar of California may be submitted electronically to the Secretary of the Senate.
(2)In addition to, and as part of, the information made available to the public in electronic form pursuant to Section 10248, the Legislative Counsel shall make available a list of the reports submitted by state and local agencies, as specified in paragraph (1). If the Legislative Counsel receives a request from a member of the public for a report contained in the list, the Legislative Counsel is not required to provide a copy of the report and may refer the requester to the state or local agency, as the case may be, that authored the report, or to the California State Library as the final repository of public information.
(b)A report shall not be distributed to a Member of the Legislature unless specifically requested by that Member.
(c)Compliance with subdivision (a) shall be deemed to be full compliance with subdivision (c) of Section 10242.5.
(d)A state agency report and summary subject to this section shall include an Internet Web site where the report can be downloaded and telephone number to call to order a hard copy of the report. A report submitted by a state agency subject to this section shall also be posted at the agencys Internet Web site.
(e)For purposes of this section, report includes any study or audit.
SEC. 2.Section 10248 of the Government Code is amended to read:10248.Public computer network; required legislative information.
(a)The Legislative Counsel shall, with the advice of the Assembly Committee on Rules and the Senate Committee on Rules, make all of the following information available to the public in electronic form:
(1)The legislative calendar, the schedule of legislative committee hearings, a list of matters pending on the floors of both houses of the Legislature, and a list of the committees of the Legislature and their members.
(2)The text of each bill introduced in each current legislative session, including each amended, enrolled, and chaptered form of each bill.
(3)The bill history of each bill introduced and amended in each current legislative session.
(4)The bill status of each bill introduced and amended in each current legislative session.
(5)All bill analyses prepared by legislative committees in connection with each bill in each current legislative session.
(6)All audiovisual recordings of legislative proceedings that have been caused to be made by the Legislature in accordance with paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of Section 7 of Article IV of the California Constitution. Each recording shall remain accessible to the public through the Internet and downloadable for a minimum period of 20 years following the date on which the recording was made and shall then be archived in a secure format.
(7)All vote information concerning each bill in each current legislative session.
(8)Any veto message concerning a bill in each current legislative session.
(9)The California Codes.
(10)The California Constitution.
(11)All statutes enacted on or after January 1, 1993.
(12)A link to the list of state and local agency reports required by paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 9795.
(b)The information identified in subdivision (a) shall be made available to the public by means of access by way of the largest nonproprietary, nonprofit cooperative public computer network. The information shall be made available in one or more formats and by one or more means in order to provide the greatest feasible access to the general public in this state. Any person who accesses the information may access all or any part of the information. The information may also be made available by any other means of access that would facilitate public access to the information. The information that is maintained in the legislative information system that is operated and maintained by the Legislative Counsel shall be made available in the shortest feasible time after the information is available in the information system. The information that is not maintained in the information system shall be made available in the shortest feasible time after it is available to the Legislative Counsel.
(c)Any documentation that describes the electronic digital formats of the information identified in subdivision (a) and is available to the public shall be made available by means of access by way of the computer network specified in subdivision (b).
(d)Personal information concerning a person who accesses the information may be maintained only for the purpose of providing service to the person.
(e)The Legislative Counsel shall not impose a fee or other charge as a condition of accessing the information that is accessible by way of the computer network specified in subdivision (b).
(f)The electronic public access provided by way of the computer network specified in subdivision (b) shall be in addition to other electronic or print distribution of the information.
(g)An action taken pursuant to this section does not alter or relinquish any copyright or other proprietary interest or entitlement of the State of California relating to any of the information made available pursuant to this section.
(a)(1)(A)Any report required or requested by law law, or identified in the Legislative Analysts Supplemental Report of the Budget Act, to be submitted by a state or local agency to a committee of the Legislature or the Members of either house of the Legislature generally, shall instead be submitted as a printed copy to the Secretary of the Senate, as an electronic copy to the Chief Clerk of the Assembly, and as an electronic or printed copy to the Legislative Counsel. Each report shall include a summary of its contents, not to exceed one page in length. If the report is submitted by a state agency, that agency shall also provide an electronic copy of the summary directly to each member of the appropriate house or houses of the Legislature. Notice of receipt of the report shall also be recorded in the journal of the appropriate house or houses of the Legislature by the secretary or clerk of that house.
(B)Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), reports of the State Bar of California may be submitted electronically to the Secretary of the Senate.
(2)In addition to to, and as part of of, the information made available to the public in electronic form pursuant to Section 10248, the Legislative Counsel shall make available a list of the reports submitted by state and local agencies, as specified in paragraph (1). If the Legislative Counsel receives a request from a member of the public for a report contained in the list, the Legislative Counsel is not required to provide a copy of the report and may refer the requester to the state or local agency, as the case may be, that authored the report, or to the California State Library as the final repository of public information.
(b)No A report shall not be distributed to a Member of the Legislature unless specifically requested by that Member.
(c)Compliance with subdivision (a) shall be deemed to be full compliance with subdivision (c) of Section 10242.5.
(d)A state agency report and summary subject to this section shall include an Internet Web site where the report can be downloaded and telephone number to call to order a hard copy of the report. A report submitted by a state agency subject to this section shall also be posted at the agencys Internet Web site.
(e)For purposes of this section, report includes any study or audit.
SEC. 2.Section 10248 of the Government Code is amended to read:10248.Public computer network; required legislative information.
(a)The Legislative Counsel shall, with the advice of the Assembly Committee on Rules and the Senate Committee on Rules, make all of the following information available to the public in electronic form:
(1)The legislative calendar, the schedule of legislative committee hearings, a list of matters pending on the floors of both houses of the Legislature, and a list of the committees of the Legislature and their members.
(2)The text of each bill introduced in each current legislative session, including each amended, enrolled, and chaptered form of each bill.
(3)The bill history of each bill introduced and amended in each current legislative session.
(4)The bill status of each bill introduced and amended in each current legislative session.
(5)All bill analyses prepared by legislative committees in connection with each bill in each current legislative session.
(6)All audiovisual recordings of legislative proceedings that have been caused to be made by the Legislature in accordance with paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of Section 7 of Article IV of the California Constitution. Each recording shall remain accessible to the public through the Internet and downloadable for a minimum period of 20 years following the date on which the recording was made and shall then be archived in a secure format.
(7)All vote information concerning each bill in each current legislative session.
(8)Any veto message concerning a bill in each current legislative session.
(9)The California Codes.
(10)The California Constitution.
(11)All statutes enacted on or after January 1, 1993.
(12)A link to the list of state and local agency reports required by paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 9795.
(b)The information identified in subdivision (a) shall be made available to the public by means of access by way of the largest nonproprietary, nonprofit cooperative public computer network. The information shall be made available in one or more formats and by one or more means in order to provide the greatest feasible access to the general public in this state. Any person who accesses the information may access all or any part of the information. The information may also be made available by any other means of access that would facilitate public access to the information. The information that is maintained in the legislative information system that is operated and maintained by the Legislative Counsel shall be made available in the shortest feasible time after the information is available in the information system. The information that is not maintained in the information system shall be made available in the shortest feasible time after it is available to the Legislative Counsel.
(c)Any documentation that describes the electronic digital formats of the information identified in subdivision (a) and is available to the public shall be made available by means of access by way of the computer network specified in subdivision (b).
(d)Personal information concerning a person who accesses the information may be maintained only for the purpose of providing service to the person.
(e)No The Legislative Counsel shall not impose a fee or other charge may be imposed by the Legislative Counsel as a condition of accessing the information that is accessible by way of the computer network specified in subdivision (b).
(f)The electronic public access provided by way of the computer network specified in subdivision (b) shall be in addition to other electronic or print distribution of the information.
(g)No An action taken pursuant to this section shall be deemed to does not alter or relinquish any copyright or other proprietary interest or entitlement of the State of California relating to any of the information made available pursuant to this section.
SECTION 1.Section 9796 is added to the Government Code, to read:9796.(a)A state agency shall post on its internet website any report that the state agency submits to a committee of the Legislature.(b)For purposes of this section, report includes a study, audit, or any report identified in the Legislative Analysts Supplemental Report of the Budget Act.(a)A state agency shall post on its internet website any report that the state agency submits to a committee of the Legislature.
(b)For purposes of this section, report includes a study, audit, or any report identified in the Legislative Analysts Supplemental Report of the Budget Act.
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Date
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Status
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|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2023 | Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 148, Statutes of 2023. |
| Sep 1, 2023 | Approved by the Governor. |
| Aug 22, 2023 | Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m. |
| Aug 17, 2023 | Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 38. Noes 0. Page 2141.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling. |
| Aug 15, 2023 | Ordered to special consent calendar. |
| Jul 3, 2023 | In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending. |
| Jul 3, 2023 | Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 69. Noes 0. Page 2541.) Ordered to the Senate. |
| Jun 29, 2023 | Read second time. Ordered to consent calendar. |
| Jun 28, 2023 | From committee: Do pass. Ordered to consent calendar. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (June 28). |
| Jun 14, 2023 | Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR. |
| Jun 13, 2023 | From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (June 7). |
| May 4, 2023 | Referred to Com. on A. & A.R. |
| Apr 17, 2023 | In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk. |
| Apr 13, 2023 | Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 36. Noes 0. Page 700.) Ordered to the Assembly. |
| Apr 11, 2023 | Read second time. Ordered to consent calendar. |
| Apr 10, 2023 | From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8 and ordered to consent calendar. |
| Mar 28, 2023 | Set for hearing April 10. |
| Mar 14, 2023 | From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 13. Noes 0. Page 339.) (March 14). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. |
| Feb 22, 2023 | Set for hearing March 14. |
| Feb 9, 2023 | Referred to Com. on G.O. |
| Jan 31, 2023 | From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 2. |
| Jan 30, 2023 | Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print. |
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Date
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Description
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Location
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Votes
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 17, 2023 | Special Consent SB259 Seyarto et al. | Senate Floor |
Passed |
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| Jul 3, 2023 | SB 259 Seyarto Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session | Assembly Floor |
Passed |
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| Jun 28, 2023 | Do pass. To Consent Calendar. | Assembly Standing Committee on Appropriations |
Passed |
|
| Jun 7, 2023 | Do pass as amended, and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar | Assembly Standing Committee on Accountability and Administrative Review |
Passed |
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| Apr 13, 2023 | Consent Calendar SB259 Seyarto et al. | Senate Floor |
Passed |
|
| Mar 14, 2023 | Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar | Senate Standing Committee on Governmental Organization |
Passed |
This list shows positions taken on this bill by organizations on the date displayed, which is linked to the original source.
Positions by individuals are not included.
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Organization
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Position
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Date
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|---|---|---|
| California Common Cause | ** Support | |
| Southern California Contractors Association | ** Support |
SENATE RULES COMMITTEE Office of Senate Floor Analyses (916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) 327-4478 | SB 259 |
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Bill No: SB 259
Author: Seyarto (R), et al.
Amended: 6/14/23
Vote: 21
SENATE GOVERNMENTAL ORG. COMMITTEE: 13-0, 3/14/23
AYES: Dodd, Wilk, Alvarado-Gil, Archuleta, Ashby, Bradford, Glazer, Jones, Nguyen, Padilla, Portantino, Roth, Seyarto
NO VOTE RECORDED: Ochoa Bogh, Rubio
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: Senate Rule 28.8
SENATE FLOOR: 36-0, 4/13/23 (Consent)
AYES: Allen, Alvarado-Gil, Archuleta, Ashby, Atkins, Becker, Bradford, Cortese, Dahle, Dodd, Durazo, Eggman, Glazer, Gonzalez, Grove, Hurtado, Jones, Laird, Limón, McGuire, Menjivar, Min, Newman, Nguyen, Niello, Ochoa Bogh, Padilla, Portantino, Rubio, Seyarto, Skinner, Smallwood-Cuevas, Umberg, Wahab, Wiener, Wilk
NO VOTE RECORDED: Blakespear, Caballero, Roth, Stern
ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 69-0, 7/3/23 (Consent) - See last page for vote
SUBJECT: Reports submitted to legislative committees
SOURCE: Author
DIGEST:
This bill requires a state agency to post on its internet website any report required or requested by law, or identified in the Legislative Analyst Office’s (LAO’s) Supplemental Report of the Budget Act, and requires Legislative Counsel to make available to the public a link to the list of state and local agency reports submitted by state and local agencies to a committee of the Legislature or to the Members of either house of the Legislature generally, as specified.
Assembly Amendments
require the Legislative Counsel to make available to the public a link to the list of state and local agency reports, as specified.
ANALYSIS:
Existing law:
- Requires a report that is required or requested by law to be submitted by a state or local agency to the Members of either house of the Legislature to instead be submitted as a printed copy to the Secretary of the Senate, as an electronic copy to the Chief Clerk of the Assembly, and as an electronic or printed copy to the Legislative Counsel.
- Requires a state agency to provide an electronic copy of the summary of its report directly to each Member of the appropriate house of the Legislature.
- Requires a state agency to post its report on the agency’s internet website and to include in the report the internet website where the report can be downloaded.
- Requires the Legislative Counsel to make available on an internet website an electronic list of all reports that state and local agencies are required or requested by law to prepare and file with the Governor or the Legislature, and to include in the list any hyperlink to a report provided by a state or local agency.
This bill:
- Requires a state agency to post on its internet website any report identified in the LAO’s Supplemental Report of the Budget Act that the state agency submits to a committee of the Legislature or to the Members of either house of the Legislature.
- Requires Legislative Counsel to provide a link to the list of state and local agency reports submitted by state and local agencies to a committee of the Legislature or to the Members of either house of the Legislature generally, as specified.
Background
Author Statement. According to the author’s office, “inconsistency in agency reporting requirements has created a situation in which constituents lack access to information that their representatives base their decision-making on. Constituents cannot know if their members are effectively representing them if those constituents lack the information necessary to determine their best interests. Expanding existing agency reporting requirements to encompass all legislative reports is a small adjustment that will go a long way to ensure all Californians have equal access and opportunity to evaluate the same information legislators use to make important policy decisions. This in turn, will enable Californians to better inform legislators of their priorities and needs.”
Reports to the Legislature. Existing law requires that any report required or requested by law to be submitted by a state or local agency to the Members of either house of the Legislature, instead be submitted as a printed copy to the Secretary of the Senate, as an electronic copy to the Chief Clerk of the Assembly, and as an electronic or printed copy to the Legislative Counsel.
LAO’s annual Supplemental Report of the Budget Act. The LAO’s annual Supplemental Report of the Budget Act contains statements of legislative intent and requests for studies adopted during deliberations on the fiscal year’s (FY’s) budget package. For example, the supplemental report for FY 2022-23 requires the California Highway Patrol to report to relevant budget subcommittees specified data of highway violence incidents. Although the supplemental report directs state agencies to distribute responses to the supplemental report’s requests to the Secretary of the Senate, Joint Legislative Budget Committee, LAO, Office of the Chief Clerk of the Assembly, and the LC, this directive does not have the same legal effect as a statutorily required or requested report.
Existing law requires a state or local agency report required or requested by law to be submitted to specified legislative entities and requires a state agency to post the report on the agency’s website. This bill requires a report identified in the LAO’s Supplemental Report of the Budget Act to be submitted to the Legislature in the same manner as a statutorily required or requested report.
California Open Data Portal. The Government Operations Agency (GovOps) sponsors data.ca.gov, a statewide open data portal created to improve collaboration, expand transparency and lead to innovation and increased effectiveness. The Agency’s open data efforts, which support data analysis and using existing data to improve state operations, align with the Eureka Institute’s Lean process improvement program and its pilot work in data-driven performance improvement.
Open data is public data collected by the state through its routine business activities and published in a format that is easy to search, easy to download and easy to combine with other data sets from other sources; it does not include private or confidential data about individuals. While several state agencies host their own open data portals, data.ca.gov was designed specifically to host open data from more than one agency. GovOps is in the process of linking each of the existing state portals, so that all of the state’s open data sets can be searched from data.ca.gov. To spark awareness of the data that is available and to introduce new ideas for using that open data, state agencies have hosted code-a-thons, data challenges and other civic engagement events.
Related/Prior Legislation
AB 802 (M. Stone, 2019) would have required the California Department of Technology to establish and maintain a statewide open data portal for state and local agencies to submit all reports to the Legislature electronically, as specified. (Held on the Senate Appropriations Suspense File)
AB 805 (Obernolte, 2019) would have required a state agency to post on its website any report that it submits to a committee of the Legislature. (Gutted and amended into an unrelated issue)
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: No
According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, minor and absorbable costs to state agencies to post supplemental report responses online. Additionally, no costs to the Legislative Counsel, as the Leg Info website already has a link to the Legislative Counsel’s “CA Agency Reports” list.
SUPPORT: (Verified 7/3/23)
California Common Cause
Southern California Contractors Association
OPPOSITION: (Verified 7/3/23)
None received
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: In support of this bill, California Common Cause writes that, “the Legislature requires state agencies to issue reports on topics or on the implementation of various policies. Historically, legislation has specified where these reports must be sent, such as to the applicable legislative policy committee. These reports provide crucial information about the implementation of programs, serving as important oversight tools. However, they are inconsistently easily available to the public. A member of the public may have to already know a report is required in order to request it, instead of it being proactively available online.”
ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 69-0, 7/3/23
AYES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Alanis, Alvarez, Arambula, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Bonta, Bryan, Juan Carrillo, Wendy Carrillo, Cervantes, Chen, Connolly, Megan Dahle, Davies, Dixon, Essayli, Mike Fong, Vince Fong, Friedman, Gabriel, Garcia, Gipson, Grayson, Haney, Hart, Holden, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, Lackey, Lee, Low, Maienschein, Mathis, McCarty, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Stephanie Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Jim Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Reyes, Luz Rivas, Rodriguez, Blanca Rubio, Santiago, Schiavo, Soria, Ta, Ting, Valencia, Villapudua, Waldron, Ward, Wicks, Wilson, Wood, Zbur, Robert Rivas
NO VOTE RECORDED: Bains, Boerner, Calderon, Flora, Gallagher, Lowenthal, Joe Patterson, Rendon, Sanchez, Wallis, Weber
Prepared by: Brian Duke / G.O. / (916) 651-1530
7/3/23 16:13:22
**** END ****
Date of Hearing: June 28, 2023
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Chris Holden, Chair
SBPCA Bill Id:SB 259
Author:(Seyarto) – As Amended Ver:June 14, 2023
Policy Committee: | Accountability and Administrative Review | Vote: | 7 - 0 |
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY:
This bill requires a report identified in the Legislative Analyst’s (LAO’s) Supplemental Report of the Budget Act to be submitted to the Legislature in the same manner as a statutorily required or requested report, thus requiring the state agency submitting the report to also post the report on the agency’s website.
This bill also requires the Legislative Counsel (LC) to add to the California Legislative Information (Leg Info) website a link to the list of statutorily submitted state and local reports compiled by the LC.
FISCAL EFFECT:
- Minor and absorbable costs to state agencies to post supplemental report responses online.
- No costs to the LC, as the Leg Info website already has a link to the LC’s “CA Agency Reports” list.
COMMENTS:
- Purpose. According to the author:
The inconsistency in agency reporting requirements has created a situation in which constituents lack access to information that their representatives base their decision-making on. Constituents cannot know if their members are effectively representing them if those constituents lack the information necessary to determine their best interests. Expanding existing agency reporting requirements to encompass all legislative reports is a small adjustment that will go a long way to ensure all Californians have equal access and opportunity to evaluate the same information legislators use to make important policy decisions.
This bill is supported by California Common Cause and the Southern California Contractors Association.
- LAO’s Supplemental Report of the Budget Act. The LAO’s annual Supplemental Report of the Budget Act contains statements of legislative intent and requests for studies adopted during deliberations on the fiscal year’s (FY’s) budget package. For example, the supplemental report for FY 2022-23 requires the California Highway Patrol to report to relevant budget subcommittees specified data of highway violence incidents. Although the supplemental report directs state agencies to distribute responses to the supplemental report’s requests to the Secretary of the Senate, Joint Legislative Budget Committee, LAO, Office of the Chief Clerk of the Assembly, and the LC, this directive does not have the same legal effect as a statutorily required or requested report.
Existing law requires a state or local agency report required or requested by law to be submitted to specified legislative entities and requires a state agency to post the report on the agency’s website. This bill requires a report identified in the LAO’s Supplemental Report of the Budget Act to be submitted to the Legislature in the same manner as a statutorily required or requested report.
- Prior Legislation. AB 805 (Obernolte), of the 2019-2020 Legislative Session, would have required a state agency to post online any report submitted to a legislative committee and defined “report” to include any report identified in the LAO’s Supplemental Report of the Budget Act. AB 805 passed the Assembly but was amended to address an unrelated issue in the Senate.
Analysis Prepared by: Irene Ho / APPR. / (916) 319-2081
SENATE RULES COMMITTEE Office of Senate Floor Analyses (916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) 327-4478 | SB 259 |
CONSENT
Bill No: SB 259
Author: Seyarto (R), et al.
Introduced: 1/30/23
Vote: 21
SENATE GOVERNMENTAL ORG. COMMITTEE: 13-0, 3/14/23
AYES: Dodd, Wilk, Alvarado-Gil, Archuleta, Ashby, Bradford, Glazer, Jones, Nguyen, Padilla, Portantino, Roth, Seyarto
NO VOTE RECORDED: Ochoa Bogh, Rubio
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: Senate Rule 28.8
SUBJECT: Reports submitted to legislative committees
SOURCE: Author
DIGEST:
This bill requires state agencies to post specified reports identified in the Legislative Analyst’s Supplemental Report of the Budget Act to their internet website when that agency submits those reports to the Legislature.
ANALYSIS:
Existing law:
- Requires a report that is required or requested by law to be submitted by a state or local agency to the Members of either house of the Legislature to instead be submitted as a printed copy to the Secretary of the Senate, as an electronic copy to the Chief Clerk of the Assembly, and as an electronic or printed copy to the Legislative Counsel.
- Requires a state agency to provide an electronic copy of the summary of its report directly to each Member of the appropriate house of the Legislature.
- Requires a state agency to post its report on the agency’s internet website and to include in the report the internet website where the report can be downloaded.
- Requires the Legislative Counsel to make available on an internet website an electronic list of all reports that state and local agencies are required or requested by law to prepare and file with the Governor or the Legislature, and to include in the list any hyperlink to a report provided by a state or local agency.
This bill:
- Requires a state agency to post on its internet website any report that the state agency submits to a committee of the Legislature.
- Defines “report” to include a study, audit, or any report identified in the Legislative Analyst’s Supplemental Report of the Budget Act.
Background
Purpose of the bill. According to the author’s office, “inconsistency in agency reporting requirements has created a situation in which constituents lack access to information that their representatives base their decision-making on. Constituents cannot know if their members are effectively representing them if those constituents lack the information necessary to determine their best interests. Expanding existing agency reporting requirements to encompass all legislative reports is a small adjustment that will go a long way to ensure all Californians have equal access and opportunity to evaluate the same information legislators use to make important policy decisions. This in turn, will enable Californians to better inform legislators of their priorities and needs.”
Reports to the Legislature. Existing law requires that any report required or requested by law to be submitted by a state or local agency to the Members of either house of the Legislature, instead be submitted as a printed copy to the Secretary of the Senate, as an electronic copy to the Chief Clerk of the Assembly, and as an electronic or printed copy to the Legislative Counsel. This bill would instead require any such reports to be submitted electronically to each entity. Similarly, this bill requires a report required or requested by law to be submitted by a state or local agency to a committee of either or both houses of the Legislature to be submitted electronically.
The Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) annual Supplemental Report of the Budget Act contains statements of legislative intent that were adopted during the deliberations on that budget package. Responses to the supplemental report, and any other report or document required to be submitted, are distributed to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, to the Secretary of the Senate, to the Office of the Chief Clerk of the Assembly, and to the Legislative Counsel Bureau. This bill requires that state agencies post on their websites any reports that the agency submits to a committee of the Legislature identified in the Legislative Analyst’s Supplemental Repot of the Budget Act.
California Open Data Portal. The Government Operations Agency (GovOps) sponsors data.ca.gov, a statewide open data portal created to improve collaboration, expand transparency and lead to innovation and increased effectiveness. The Agency’s open data efforts, which support data analysis and using existing data to improve state operations, align with the Eureka Institute’s Lean process improvement program and its pilot work in data-driven performance improvement.
Open data is public data collected by the state through its routine business activities and published in a format that is easy to search, easy to download and easy to combine with other data sets from other sources; it does not include private or confidential data about individuals. While several state agencies host their own open data portals, data.ca.gov was designed specifically to host open data from more than one agency. GovOps is in the process of linking each of the existing state portals, so that all of the state’s open data sets can be searched from data.ca.gov. To spark awareness of the data that is available and to introduce new ideas for using that open data, state agencies have hosted code-a-thons, data challenges and other civic engagement events.
Related/Prior Legislation
AB 802 (M. Stone, 2019) would have required the California Department of Technology to establish and maintain a statewide open data portal for state and local agencies to submit all reports to the Legislature electronically, as specified. (Held on the Senate Appropriations Suspense File)
AB 805 (Obernolte, 2019) would have required a state agency to post on its website any report that it submits to a committee of the Legislature. (Gutted and amended into an unrelated issue)
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: No
SUPPORT: (Verified 4/10/23)
None received
OPPOSITION: (Verified 4/10/23)
None received
Prepared by: Brian Duke / G.O. / (916) 651-1530
4/12/23 14:04:15
**** END ****
SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION
Senator Bill Dodd
Chair
2023 - 2024 Regular
Bill No: SB Hearing Date: 3/14/2023
Author: | Seyarto, et al. | ||
Version: | Introduced | ||
Urgency: | Fiscal: | ||
Consultant: | |||
SUBJECT:
DIGEST: This bill requires state agencies to post specified reports identified in the Legislative Analyst’s Supplemental Report of the Budget Act to their internet website when that agency submits those reports to the Legislature.
ANALYSIS:
Existing law:
- Requires a report that is required or requested by law to be submitted by a state or local agency to the Members of either house of the Legislature to instead be submitted as a printed copy to the Secretary of the Senate, as an electronic copy to the Chief Clerk of the Assembly, and as an electronic or printed copy to the Legislative Counsel.
- Requires a state agency to provide an electronic copy of the summary of its report directly to each Member of the appropriate house of the Legislature.
- Requires a state agency to post its report on the agency’s internet website and to include in the report the internet website where the report can be downloaded.
- Requires the Legislative Counsel to make available on an internet website an electronic list of all reports that state and local agencies are required or requested by law to prepare and file with the Governor or the Legislature, and to include in the list any hyperlink to a report provided by a state or local agency.
This bill:
- Requires a state agency to post on its internet website any report that the state agency submits to a committee of the Legislature.
- Defines “report” to include a study, audit, or any report identified in the Legislative Analyst’s Supplemental Report of the Budget Act.
Background
Purpose of the Bill. According to the author’s office, “inconsistency in agency reporting requirements has created a situation in which constituents lack access to information that their representatives base their decision-making on. Constituents cannot know if their members are effectively representing them if those constituents lack the information necessary to determine their best interests. Expanding existing agency reporting requirements to encompass all legislative reports is a small adjustment that will go a long way to ensure all Californians have equal access and opportunity to evaluate the same information legislators use to make important policy decisions. This in turn, will enable Californians to better inform legislators of their priorities and needs.”
Reports to the Legislature. Existing law requires that any report required or requested by law to be submitted by a state or local agency to the Members of either house of the Legislature, instead be submitted as a printed copy to the Secretary of the Senate, as an electronic copy to the Chief Clerk of the Assembly, and as an electronic or printed copy to the Legislative Counsel. This bill would instead require any such reports to be submitted electronically to each entity. Similarly, this bill requires a report required or requested by law to be submitted by a state or local agency to a committee of either or both houses of the Legislature to be submitted electronically.
The Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) annual Supplemental Report of the Budget Act contains statements of legislative intent that were adopted during the deliberations on that budget package. Responses to the supplemental report, and any other report or document required to be submitted, are distributed to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, to the Secretary of the Senate, to the Office of the Chief Clerk of the Assembly, and to the Legislative Counsel Bureau. This bill requires that state agencies post on their websites any reports that the agency submits to a committee of the Legislature identified in the Legislative Analyst’s Supplemental Repot of the Budget Act.
California Open Data Portal. The Government Operations Agency (GovOps) sponsors data.ca.gov, a statewide open data portal created to improve collaboration, expand transparency and lead to innovation and increased effectiveness. The Agency’s open data efforts, which support data analysis and using existing data to improve state operations, align with the Eureka Institute’s Lean process improvement program and its pilot work in data-driven performance improvement.
Open data is public data collected by the state through its routine business activities and published in a format that is easy to search, easy to download and easy to combine with other data sets from other sources; it does not include private or confidential data about individuals. While several state agencies host their own open data portals, data.ca.gov was designed specifically to host open data from more than one agency. GovOps is in the process of linking each of the existing state portals, so that all of the state’s open data sets can be searched from data.ca.gov. To spark awareness of the data that is available and to introduce new ideas for using that open data, state agencies have hosted code-a-thons, data challenges and other civic engagement events.
Prior/Related Legislation
AB 802 (M. Stone, 2019) would have required the California Department of Technology to establish and maintain a statewide open data portal for state and local agencies to submit all reports to the Legislature electronically, as specified. (Held on the Senate Appropriations Suspense File)
AB 805 (Obernolte, 2019) would have required a state agency to post on its website any report that it submits to a committee of the Legislature. (Gutted and amended into an unrelated issue)
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: No
SUPPORT:
None received
OPPOSITION:
None received
Bill Author
