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Inspector general urges law changes to expand reporting and authority over High-Speed Rail; lawmakers debate confidentiality rules
Summary
The High-Speed Rail inspector general asked the committee to place reporting, work paper retention and limited temporary confidentiality rules into statute (via AB 1608 and a trailer bill); lawmakers supported stronger oversight but expressed concern the definition of "weaknesses" could be too broad.
Ben Belknap, inspector general for the California High-Speed Rail project, told the Assembly subcommittee he needs statutory authority to publish reports, retain and disclose work papers under a defined framework, and to obtain certain job classifications and purchasing authority that would allow his office to operate more effectively.
"State law does not require that my office publish reports on various operational reviews," Belknap said, adding that he has voluntarily published reports but lacks an explicit statutory framework to require reports, retain work papers or secure resources the office needs. He asked that…
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