AB 964
Commission on State Mandates: state mandates.
Vote required
Majority
Fiscal committee
No
Appropriation
No
Current location
Appropriations
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Sign in to take action- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Bill overview
This bill changes the process by which the Controller reviews and adjusts reimbursement claims from local agencies and school districts for state-mandated costs. Currently, the Controller must notify claimants of adjustments within 30 days of an audit or review. This bill would give local agencies the option to offset reduced reimbursements against other unpaid claims or remit funds to the Controller instead of accepting the adjustment. The bill also clarifies the timeline for audits and interest charges on overpayments.
Key provisions
- The Controller must notify claimants of adjustments within 30 days of an audit or review.
- Local agencies can choose to offset reduced reimbursements against other unpaid claims or remit funds to the Controller.
- The Controller must specify the claim components adjusted, the amounts adjusted, interest charges, and the reason for the adjustment in the notification.
- Interest on overpaid claims will be based on the Pooled Money Investment Account rate.
- The bill clarifies that the Controller can adjust payments for intentional fraud or due to willful delays by the claimant.
Who is affected
- Local Agencies
- School Districts
- The Controller's Office
- State Government
- California Residents (indirectly, through state funding)
Notable changes
- Shifts the notification process for reimbursement adjustments from the current 30-day requirement to a local agency’s discretion.
Arguments in favor
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AB964:v97#DOCUMENT
Bill Start
| Amended IN Assembly April 23, 2025 |
| Amended IN Assembly March 27, 2025 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 964
| Introduced by Assembly Member Hadwick |
| February 20, 2025 |
An act to amend Section 17558.5 of the Government Code, relating to state mandates.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 964, as amended, Hadwick. Commission on State Mandates: state mandates.
Existing law creates the Commission on State Mandates and establishes procedures for implementing the requirement in the California Constitution that the state reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Existing law makes a reimbursement claim for actual costs filed by a local agency or school district subject to the initiation of an audit by the Controller, and authorizes the Controller to make a field review of a claim after it has been submitted but before it has been reimbursed. Existing law requires the Controller to notify the claimant in writing within 30 days after issuance of a remittance advice of any adjustment to a claim for reimbursement that results from an audit or review.
This bill would, instead, require the Controller to notify the claimant in writing within 30 days of any adjustment that results from an audit or review. The bill would also require the Controller to allow a local agency or school district, at the sole discretion of the local agency or school district, to offset any reduced reimbursement, as prescribed, or to remit funds to the Controller.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO
Bill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 17558.5 of the Government Code is amended to read:
17558.5.
(a) A reimbursement claim for actual costs filed by a local agency or school district pursuant to this chapter is subject to the initiation of an audit by the Controller no later than three years after the date that the actual reimbursement claim is filed or last amended, whichever is later. However, if no funds are appropriated or no payment is made to a claimant for the program for the fiscal year for which the claim is filed, the time for the Controller to initiate an audit shall commence to run from the date of initial payment of the claim. In any case, an audit shall be completed not later than two years after the date that the audit is commenced.
(b) The Controller may conduct a field review of any claim after the claim has been submitted, prior to the reimbursement of the claim.
(c) The Controller shall notify the claimant in writing within 30 days of any adjustment to a claim for reimbursement that results from an audit or review. The notification shall specify the claim components adjusted, the amounts adjusted, interest charges on claims adjusted to reduce the overall reimbursement to the local agency or school district, and the reason for the adjustment. Remittance advices and other notices of payment action shall not constitute notice of adjustment from an audit or review.
(d) The Controller shall allow a local agency or school district, at the sole discretion of the local agency or school district, to do either of the following:
(1) Offset any reduced reimbursement identified in subdivision (c) from any unpaid reimbursement claims, claims attributed to that local agency or school district, whether appropriated or not, to the extent that sufficient unpaid reimbursement claims are available. determined by the Controller to exist.
(2) Remit funds to the Controller.
(e) The interest rate charged by the Controller on reduced claims shall be set at the Pooled Money Investment Account rate and shall be imposed on the dollar amount of the overpaid claim from the time the claim was paid until overpayment is satisfied.
(f) This section does not limit the adjustment of payments if inaccuracies are determined to be the result of the intent to defraud, or if a delay in the completion of an audit is the result of willful acts by the claimant or inability to reach agreement on terms of final settlement.