(a) Any money that is collected by the director pursuant to this chapter shall be deposited in a bank or other depository that is approved by the Director of Finance, allocated to each marketing order under which it is collected. Except as provided in Section 58941, these funds shall be disbursed by the director or the advisory board only for the necessary expenses that are incurred by the advisory board and that are approved by the director with respect to each marketing order. Allowable expenses include expenses generated by the auditing requirement imposed by subdivision (b).
Funds so collected shall be deposited and disbursed in conformity with appropriate rules and regulations that are prescribed by the director. The expenditure of these funds is exempt from the provisions of Section 925.6 of the Government Code.
(b) All such expenditures by the director shall be audited at least once every two years by one of the following means:
(1) By contract with a certified public accountant.
(2) By contract with a public accountant holding a valid permit issued by the California Board of Accountancy.
(3) By contract with a public accounting firm.
(4) By agreement with the Department of Finance.
A copy of the audit shall be delivered within 30 days after the completion of the audit to the Governor, the director, and the Controller.
(Amended by Stats. 2000, Ch. 1055, Sec. 18. Effective September 30, 2000.)