GOV §17615: The Legislature finds and declares that the existing system for reimbursing local agencies and school districts for actual costs mandated by the state on an annual claim basis is time consuming, cumbe

The Legislature finds and declares that the existing system for reimbursing local agencies and school districts for actual costs mandated by the state on an annual claim basis is time consuming, cumbersome, and expensive at both the local and state levels. The Controller must process voluminous claims with all claims subject to a desk audit and selected claims also subject to a field audit. Local agencies are required to maintain extensive documentation of all claims in anticipation of such an audit. The volume of these records is substantial and will continue to grow with no relief in sight as new programs are mandated. The cost to local agencies and school districts for filing claims, and for maintaining documentation and responding to the Controller’s audits is substantial. The current administrative cost to both state and local governments represents a significant expenditure of public funds with no apparent benefit to the taxpayers. It is the intent of the Legislature to streamline the reimbursement process for costs mandated by the state by creating a system of state mandate apportionments to fund the costs of certain programs mandated by the state.