Bill Text: CA AB1025 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Enrolled

California Assembly Bill 1025

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

Bill Title: County government: contract legal counsel: elected treasurer-tax collector.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2023-10-13 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 823, Statutes of 2023. [AB1025 Detail]

Download: California-2023-AB1025-Enrolled.html

Enrolled September 14, 2023

Passed IN Senate September 12, 2023

Passed IN Assembly May 31, 2023

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 1025

Introduced by Assembly Member Dixon

February 15, 2023

An act to amend Section 31000.6 of the Government Code, relating to local government.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 1025, Dixon. County government: contract legal counsel: elected treasurer-tax collector.

(1) Existing law requires a county board of supervisors, upon request of the county assessor, auditor-controller, or sheriff, to contract with legal counsel to assist the assessor, auditor-controller, or sheriff with duties that the district attorney or county counsel would have a conflict of interest in representing the assessor, auditor-controller, or sheriff. In the event the board of supervisors does not concur with the assessor, auditor-controller, or sheriff that a conflict of interest exists, existing law authorizes the county assessor, auditor-controller, or sheriff to initiate an ex parte proceeding before the presiding judge of the superior court, as provided.

This bill would extend these provisions to additionally require the board of supervisors to contract with legal counsel to assist the elected treasurer-tax collector, as described above. By adding to the duties of county boards of supervisors with respect to contracts for legal counsel, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

This bill would also update an obsolete cross-reference.

(2) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YES

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 31000.6 of the Government Code is amended to read:

31000.6.

(a) Upon request of the assessor, auditor-controller, sheriff, or elected treasurer-tax collector of the county, the board of supervisors shall contract with and employ legal counsel to assist the assessor, auditor-controller, sheriff, or elected treasurer-tax collector in the performance of their duties in any case where the county counsel or the district attorney would have a conflict of interest in representing the assessor, auditor-controller, sheriff, or elected treasurer-tax collector.

(b) In the event that the board of supervisors does not concur with the assessor, auditor-controller, sheriff, or elected treasurer-tax collector that a conflict of interest exists, the assessor, auditor-controller, sheriff, or elected treasurer-tax collector, after giving notice to the county counsel or the district attorney, may initiate an ex parte proceeding before the presiding judge of the superior court. The county counsel or district attorney may file an affidavit in the proceeding in opposition to, or in support of, the assessor’s, auditor-controller’s, sheriff’s, or elected treasurer-tax collector’s position.

(c) The presiding superior court judge that determines in any ex parte proceeding that a conflict actually exists, must, if requested by one of the parties, also rule whether representation by the county counsel or district attorney through the creation of an “ethical wall” is appropriate. The factors to be considered in this determination of whether an “ethical wall” should be created are: (1) equal representation, (2) level of support, (3) access to resources, (4) zealous representation, or (5) any other consideration that relates to proper representation.

(d) If a court determines that the action brought by the assessor, auditor-controller, sheriff, or elected treasurer-tax collector is frivolous and in bad faith, the assessor’s office, auditor-controller’s office, sheriff’s office, or elected treasurer-tax collector’s office shall pay their own legal costs and all costs incurred in the action by the opposing party. As used in this section, “bad faith” and “frivolous” have the meaning given in Section 128.5 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

(e) If the presiding judge determines that a conflict of interest does exist, and that representation by the county counsel or district attorney through the creation of an ethical wall is inappropriate, the board of supervisors shall immediately employ legal counsel selected by the presiding judge to assist the assessor, the auditor-controller, sheriff, or elected treasurer-tax collector. The assessor, the auditor-controller, sheriff, or elected treasurer-tax collector may recommend specific legal counsel for selection by the presiding judge. The board of supervisors may also separately recommend specific legal counsel for selection by the presiding judge. When selecting counsel pursuant to this section, the presiding judge shall consider the counsel compensation rates prevailing in the county for similar work.

(f) As used in this section, “conflict of interest” means a conflict of interest as defined in Rule 1.7 of the Rules of Professional Conduct of the State Bar of California, as construed for public attorneys.

(g) This section shall also apply to any matter brought after an assessor, auditor-controller, sheriff, or elected treasurer-tax collector leaves office if the matter giving rise to the need for independent legal counsel was within the scope of the duties of the assessor, auditor-controller, sheriff, or elected treasurer-tax collector while in office, and the assessor, auditor-controller, sheriff, or elected treasurer-tax collector would have been authorized under this section to request the appointment of independent legal counsel.

SEC. 2.

If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.