(a)  Except as otherwise provided in subdivisions (b) and (e), the Controller shall not draw their warrant for any claim until the Controller has audited that claim in conformity with law and the general rules and regulations adopted by the department, governing the presentation and audit of claims. If the Controller is directed by law to draw their warrant for any purpose, the direction is subject to this section.

(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), the Assembly Committee on Rules, the Senate Committee on Rules, and the Joint Rules Committee, in cooperation with the Controller, shall adopt rules and regulations to govern the presentation of claims of the committees to the Controller. The Controller, in cooperation with the committees, shall adopt rules and regulations governing the audit and recordkeeping of claims of the committees. All rules and regulations shall be adopted by January 31, 1990, shall be published in the Assembly and Senate Journals, and shall be made available to the public.

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(c) Rules and regulations adopted pursuant to subdivision (b) shall not be subject to the review by or approval of the Office of Administrative Law.

(d) Records of claims kept by the Controller pursuant to subdivision (b) shall be open to public inspection as permitted by the California Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1).

(e) (1) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), the Controller shall draw their warrant for any claim submitted by the Department of Housing and Community Development to advance the payment of funds to a vendor selected pursuant to § 50897.3 of the Health and Safety Code, based on approved applicants associated with Chapter 17 (commencing with Section 50897) of Part 2 of Division 31 of the Health and Safety Code. Funds made available for advance payment pursuant to this subdivision shall not exceed 25 percent of the original amount allocated for the program described in Chapter 17 (commencing with Section 50897) of Part 2 of Division 31 of the Health and Safety Code at any given time.

(2) The vendor described in paragraph (1) shall be the fiscal agent on behalf of the Department of Housing and Community Development and shall be responsible for maintaining all records of claims for audit purposes.

(3) Unless otherwise expressly provided, this subdivision shall remain operative so long as funds are made available pursuant to Chapter 17 (commencing with Section 50897) of Part 2 of Division 31 of the Health and Safety Code or as otherwise provided under federal law.

(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 28, Sec. 51. (SB 1380) Effective January 1, 2023.)