2007 California Government Code Article 1. Joint Legislative Audit Committee

CA Codes (gov:10500-10504.1)

10500.   It is the desire of the Legislature to create the Office of
the Auditor General, whose primary duties shall be to perform
performance audits as may be requested by the Legislature.  The
authority of the office under the direction of the Joint Legislative
Audit Committee is confined to examining and reporting and is in no
way to interfere with adequate internal audit to be conducted by the
executive branch of the government or the state audit or other audits
required by statute to be performed by the State Auditor.
   The Legislature also finds that a significant portion of the state
budget consists of subventions to local governments and, therefore,
it is necessary for the Legislature to establish independent fiscal
oversight capability necessary to determine funding priorities and to
evaluate the efficiency and necessity of state-supported local
programs and state programs administered by local governments.



10501.  The Joint Legislative Audit Committee is hereby created.
The committee shall determine the policies of the Auditor General,
ascertain facts, review reports and take action thereon, and make
reports and recommendations to the Legislature and to the houses
thereof concerning the state audit, the revenues and expenditures of
the State, its departments, subdivisions, and agencies whether
created by the Constitution or otherwise, and such other matters as
may be provided for in the Joint Rules of the Senate and Assembly.
The committee has a continuing existence and may meet, act, and
conduct its business at any place within this State, during the
sessions of the Legislature or any recess thereof, and in the interim
period between sessions.



10502.  The committee shall consist of seven Members of the Senate
and seven Members of the Assembly who shall be selected in the manner
provided for in the Joint Rules of the Senate and Assembly.  The
committee shall elect its own chairman.  Vacancies occurring in the
membership of the committee between general sessions of the
Legislature shall be filled in the manner provided for in the Joint
Rules of the Senate and Assembly.  A vacancy shall be deemed to exist
as to any member of the committee whose term is expiring whenever
such member is not reelected at the general election.



10503.  The committee is authorized to make rule governing its own
proceedings and to create subcommittees from its membership and
assign to such subcommittees any study, inquiry, investigation, or
hearing which the committee itself has authority to undertake or
hold.  The provisions of Rule 36 of the Joint Rules of the Senate and
Assembly relating to investigating committees shall apply to the
committee and it shall have such powers, duties and responsibilities
as the Joint Rules of the Senate and Assembly shall from time to time
prescribe, and all the powers conferred upon committees by Section
11, Article IV, of the Constitution.



10504.  After recommendation by the committee, the Auditor General
shall be selected by concurrent resolution and shall serve until his
or her successor is selected or until his or her removal by
concurrent resolution.  When the Legislature is not in session, the
committee may suspend the Auditor General until the Legislature
reconvenes.  When the Legislature is in session, the committee may
suspend the Auditor General for a period not to exceed 30 days. When
there is a vacancy in the office of Auditor General, the Chairman of
the Joint Legislative Audit Committee shall select an acting Auditor
General until an Auditor General is selected by the Legislature.  The
committee shall fix the salary of the Auditor General, deputies, and
staff.  The funds for the support of the committee shall be provided
from the Contingent Funds of the Assembly and Senate in the same
manner that those funds are made available to other joint committees
of the Legislature.



10504.1.  At least one deputy auditor general shall be a certified
public accountant.