(a) The California State Auditor shall annually issue an auditor’s report based upon the general purpose financial statements included in the Controller’s annual report that is submitted to the Governor pursuant to Section 12460. The report shall be in accordance with the “Government Auditing Standards” published by the Comptroller General of the United States and the standards published by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

(b) The California State Auditor, in the performance of this annual audit and any other audit or investigation undertaken by the office, may examine all the financial records, accounts, and documents of any state agency as defined by Section 11000.

(c) The California State Auditor shall rely, to the maximum extent possible, upon the audits performed by the Controller, the Department of Finance, internal auditors of state agencies, and independent contractors. The Director of Finance shall be responsible for coordinating and providing technical assistance to the internal auditors of state agencies. Nothing in this article is intended to reduce or restrict the operations of internal auditors whose review of internal financial and administrative controls of state agencies is essential for coordinated audits.

(d) State agencies receiving federal funds shall be primarily responsible for arranging for federally required financial and compliance audits. State agencies shall immediately notify the Director of Finance, the California State Auditor, and the Controller when they are required to obtain federally required financial and compliance audits. The Director of Finance, the California State Auditor, and the Controller shall coordinate the procurement by state agencies, including any negotiations with cognizant federal agencies, of federally required financial and compliance audits.

(e) To prevent duplication of the annual audit conducted by the California State Auditor pursuant to subdivision (a), except for those state agencies that are required by state law to obtain an annual audit, no state agency shall enter into a contract for a financial or compliance audit without prior written approval of the Controller and the Director of Finance, which approval shall state the reason for the contract and shall be filed with the California State Auditor at least 30 days prior to the award of the contract. No funds appropriated by the Legislature shall be encumbered for the purpose of funding any contract for an audit that duplicates the annual financial audit conducted by the California State Auditor.

(f) Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, nothing in this section shall be construed to limit, restrict, or otherwise infringe upon the constitutional or statutory authority of the Controller to superintend the fiscal concerns of the state.

(g) Except as provided in subdivision (b), notwithstanding any other provision of this article, nothing in this section shall be construed to limit, restrict, or otherwise infringe upon the statutory authority of the Director of Finance to supervise the financial and business policies of the state.

(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 281, Sec. 29. (SB 1395) Effective January 1, 2013.)