Commission on State Mandates

The Commission's statutory responsibilities are to hear and decide:

• Test claims of local agencies and school districts that allege the existence of reimbursable state-mandated programs; and if a test claim is approved, adopt parameters and guidelines for claiming reimbursement and prepare a statewide cost estimate.
• Claims alleging that the State Controller's Office has incorrectly reduced payments to local agencies and school districts.
• Requests for mandate redeterminations that allege the state's liability for a mandate has been modified based on a subsequent change in law.
• Requests to review the claiming instructions issued by the State Controller.
• Requests to determine whether a mandated program, for which appropriations have been made by the Legislature in any three consecutive years, should be included in the State Mandates Apportionment System.
• Claims regarding the existence of significant financial distress for applicant counties seeking to reduce their General Assistance Aid payments.