Report 2020-610 Recommendation 1 Responses
Report 2020-610: State High Risk—Federal COVID-19 Funding: Coronavirus Relief Fund (Release Date: January 2021)
Recommendation #1 To: Finance, Department of
In the event that the federal government provides California with additional funding that is similar to CRF funds and the Legislature decides to again direct such federal COVID-19 funds to local governments contingent on their adherence to certain requirements, Finance should ensure equitable treatment of local governments by proposing a method to the Legislature to provide equitable funding to counties on a per-person basis or other basis that treats counties fairly and equitably.
No additional federal funding similar to the Coronavirus Relief Funds has been provided since the last 90-day update. Finance continues to track federal legislation being considered and nothing similar is anticipated this fiscal year.
- Completion Date: July 2021
California State Auditor's Assessment of Status: Resolved
We assessed the status of this recommendation as resolved. Although the federal government has not provided federal COVID-19 funding similar to the CRF funds since we issued our report, it may in the future and Finance should implement our recommendations at that time.
- Auditee did not address all aspects of the recommendation
No additional federal funding similar to the Coronavirus Relief Funds has been provided since the last 90-day update. Finance continues to track federal legislation being considered and nothing similar is anticipated this fiscal year.
- Completion Date: July 2021
California State Auditor's Assessment of Status: Pending
We assessed the status of this recommendation as pending. Although no recent federal legislation provided additional federal COVID-19 funds, Finance may have opportunities to implement our recommendation if Congress provides additional funds and discretion to states.
- Auditee did not substantiate its claim of full implementation
No additional federal funding similar to the Coronavirus Relief Funds has been provided since the last 90-day update. Finance continues to track federal legislation being considered and nothing similar is anticipated this fiscal year.
- Completion Date: July 2021
California State Auditor's Assessment of Status: Pending
We assessed the status of this recommendation as pending. Although no recent federal legislation provided additional federal COVID-19 funds, Finance may have opportunities to implement our recommendation if Congress provides additional funds and discretion to states.
- Auditee did not address all aspects of the recommendation
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 includes approximately $16 billion in Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, but the funding allocation is established in the Act and the Legislature has no discretion on how those funds are allocated to local governments. The state had a ministerial role to pass through funding to small non-entitlement units of local government within 30 days of receipt. This task (unrelated to the recommendation above) was completed on July 13, 2021 when the department transmitted and the State Controller processed the disbursements to the remaining 5 cities; 286 cities received their allocation on July 13, 2021.
- Completion Date: July 2021
California State Auditor's Assessment of Status: Pending
We assessed the status of this recommendation as pending. Although the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 provided additional federal COVID-19 funds and allocated those funds to local governments, Finance may have opportunities to implement our recommendation if Congress provides additional funds and discretion to states.
- Auditee did not substantiate its claim of full implementation
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 includes approximately $16 billion in Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, but the funding allocation is established in the Act and the Legislature has no discretion on how those funds are allocated to local governments.
- Completion Date: January 2021
California State Auditor's Assessment of Status: Pending
We assessed the status of this recommendation as pending. Although recent federal legislation provided additional federal COVID-19 funds and allocated those funds to local governments, Finance may have opportunities to implement our recommendation if Congress provides additional funds and discretion to states.
- Auditee did not address all aspects of the recommendation
All Recommendations in 2020-610
Agency responses received are posted verbatim.