Report 2019-046 Recommendation 3 Responses

Report 2019-046: Proposition 56 Tobacco Tax: State Agencies' Weak Administration Reduced Revenue by Millions of Dollars and Led to the Improper Use and Inadequate Disclosure of Funds (Release Date: January 2021)

Recommendation #3 To: Justice, Department of

To provide the public with relevant information and ensure the level of accountability that state law intends, each state entity that receives Proposition 56 funds should publish the following information on its website by April 2021 for fiscal years 2017-18 through 2019-20, and within six months of the end of each fiscal year, beginning with fiscal year 2020-21:

The amount of Proposition 56 funds received by each program it administers.
The amount of Proposition 56 funds spent by each program it administers.
The amount of Proposition 56 funds obligated for future expenditures by each program it administers.
Any corrections to the information it reported in previous fiscal years.

1-Year Agency Response

The Department's report showing funds received, expended, and obligated for fund years 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21 has been published on the Attorney General's website

Publications | State of California - Department of Justice - Office of the Attorney General.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Fully Implemented

Justice published the relevant information for the listed fiscal years at https://oag.ca.gov/publications#tobacco-prop56. We did not verify when it published this information; however, Justice should ensure that it publishes this information within six months of the end of each fiscal year.

6-Month Agency Response

The Department's report showing funds received, expended, and obligated for fund years 2017-28, 2018-19, and 2019-20 has been published on the Attorney General's website - https://oag.ca.gov/sites/all/files/agweb/pdfs/publications/fy2019-20-sum-expendite.pdf.

The FY 2020-21 report showing funds received, expended, and obligated will be published by January 1, 2022.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Pending

We look forward to reviewing the Fiscal Year 2020-21 report when it is published.

60-Day Agency Response

The Department's report showing funds received, expended, and obligated for fund years 2017-18, 2018-19, and 2019-20 is under review and will be published on the Attorney General's website by April 2021.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

We look forward to reviewing the report when it is published.

All Recommendations in 2019-046

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.