§ 42984.16

(a) A PRO shall retain an independent public accountant, certified in the United States, to annually audit the accounting books of the PRO. The department shall review the independent certified public accountant audit for compliance with this chapter and consistency with the PRO’s plan and annual report, submitted pursuant to this chapter. After the department conducts its own audit, the department shall notify the PRO of any conduct or practice that does not comply with this chapter or of any inconsistencies identified in the audit. The PRO may obtain copies of the department’s audit, including proprietary information contained in the department’s audit, upon request, and withhold from disclosure confidential proprietary information to the extent allowed under Section 1040 of the Evidence Code and Section 7929.000 of the Government Code. The items submitted to the department as part of the independent audit shall include:

(1) Financial statements audited in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).

(2) An audit of the PRO’s compliance with this chapter.

(3) An audit of the PRO’s adherence to, execution of, and consistency with its plan.

(b) The PRO shall include the independent audit in its annual report submitted to the department pursuant to Section 42984.17 commencing within 18 months of plan approval by the department. The department shall review the audit for compliance with this chapter and consistency with the PRO’s plan.

(Added by Stats. 2024, Ch. 864, Sec. 1. (SB 707) Effective January 1, 2025.)