SB 769: Local government: fiscal and financial training.

Existing law imposes ethics training and sexual harassment prevention training and education on specified local agency officials. Existing law requires each training to be 2 hours and requires the officials to receive each training every 2 years, and as described otherwise.

This bill would require, if a local agency provides any type of compensation, salary, or stipend to a member of a legislative body, or provides reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses incurred by a member of a legislative body in the performance of official duties, all local agency officials, as defined, to receive at least 2 hours of fiscal and financial training, as described. The bill would require the training to be received at least once every 2 years, as provided. The bill would exempt a local agency official from the training requirements if they comply with specified criteria under existing law relating to eligibility for appointment or election to, and continuing education for, the office of county auditor, county treasurer, county tax collector, or county treasurer-tax collector.

This bill would authorize a local agency or an association of local agencies to contract with or otherwise collaborate with a provider of a training course to offer one or more training courses, or sets of self-study materials with tests, to its local agency officials to meet the training requirement, as described. The bill would require the training courses and materials to be developed in consultation with experts in local government finance. The bill would require providers of training courses to provide participants with proof of participation for purposes of complying with local agency recordkeeping requirements. The bill would require a local agency to provide information on training available at least once annually. By imposing additional duties on local agency officials, the bill would create a state-mandated local program.

The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities.

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, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.