1 minute
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Governor Newsom has signed Senate Bill 1126 by Senator Steven Choi, Ph.D. (R-Irvine), establishing a uniform online transparency standard for the audited financial records of local governments.
SB 1126 requires cities, counties, and independent special districts that maintain websites to post their audited financial statements or annual comprehensive financial reports online. The records must be posted within 30 days of completion, remain publicly accessible without a password or fee, and be available online for at least three years.
“Taxpayers should not have to file a public records request or visit a government office simply to understand how their money is being managed,” said Senator Choi. “SB 1126 brings local financial reporting into the modern era and gives Californians convenient access to the information they need to hold their government accountable. I thank my colleagues for passing and the Governor for signing this commonsense transparency measure into law.”
The California Policy Center sponsored SB 1126.
“Transparency is the foundation of good government,” said Lance Christensen, Vice President of Education Policy and Government Affairs at the California Policy Center. “By making audited financial reports easy to find online, SB 1126 will help residents hold local leaders accountable and identify financial problems before they become crises. We thank Senator Choi for championing this important taxpayer protection.”
The new posting requirements will become operative on January 1, 2028.