(a) The budget review committee shall be composed of three persons and shall be selected by the county superintendent of schools and the county board of education solely from a list of no fewer than five candidates provided by the Superintendent. The candidates shall be persons who have expertise in the management of a school district or county office of education, including, but not limited to, the fiscal and educational aspects of that management.
(b) No later than five working days after the receipt of the candidate list described in subdivision (a), the county superintendent of schools and the county board of education shall select the budget review committee. If the county superintendent of schools and the county board of education fail to select a committee within the period of time permitted by this subdivision, the Superintendent shall select and convene the budget review committee no later than 10 working days after the receipt by the county superintendent of schools and the county board of education of the candidate list.
(c) On or before November 30, the budget review committee shall review the proposed budget of the county office of education and the underlying fiscal policies of that county office of education, and shall transmit to the Superintendent, the county superintendent of schools, and the county board of education either of the following:
(1) A recommendation that the budget be approved.
(2) A report disapproving the budget and setting forth recommendations for revisions to the budget that would enable the county office of education to meet its financial obligations in the budget year and with regard to multiyear financial commitments.
(d) Upon the request of the budget review committee, the Superintendent may extend the deadline in subdivision (c) for a period of not more than 15 working days.
(e) The Superintendent shall develop criteria and procedures governing the performance by budget review committees of their duties under this section.
(f) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), members of the budget review committee shall be reimbursed by the department for their services and associated expenses while on official business, at rates established by the Superintendent, subject to the approval of the executive director of the state board.
(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), an employee of the County Office Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team who serves as a member of the budget review committee shall not be eligible for reimbursement by the department for their services and associated expenses while on official business.
(Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 8, Sec. 2. (AB 121) Effective June 27, 2025.)