California State Controller

State Controller of California
Seal of the California State Controller
Incumbent Betty Yee since January 5, 2015
Style	The Honorable
Term length	Four years, two term limit
Inaugural holder	1849
Formation	California Constitution
Website	www.sco.ca.gov

The state controller of California is a constitutional office in the executive branch of the government of the U.S. state of California. Thirty-two individuals have held the office of state controller since statehood. The incumbent is Betty Yee, a Democrat.^[1] The state controller's main office is located at 300 Capitol Mall in Sacramento.

Election and term of office[]

The state controller assumes office by way of election. The term of office is four years, renewable once. Elections for state controller are held on a four-year basis concurrently with elections for the offices of governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, state treasurer, insurance commissioner, and superintendent of public instruction.

Powers and duties[]

As California's chief financial officer, the state controller has broad superintending authority over the accounting and disbursement of the state's financial resources.^[2] As such, the state controller:

• Acts as the state's accountant. This entails maintaining and settling the state accounts, issuing reports on the financial condition of the state, approving claims against the state, administering payroll, ordering payments out of the state treasury, and drawing checks and approving electronic fund transfers.
• Enforces California's unclaimed property laws. As such, the state controller audits holders of unclaimed property, safeguards unclaimed property reported to his or her office, and works to return unclaimed property back to its rightful owners.
• Audits public funds spent by myriad state and local governments. The state controller has the authority and jurisdiction to conduct financial and compliance audits, examinations, attestation engagements, and investigations. Public institutions subject to audit by the State Controller's Office include state agencies, counties, cities, towns, school districts, the state lottery, oil and gas lease royalties, rural development authorities, and a multitude of local governments. The office is considered one of the premiere audit agencies of the State of California, alongside the State Auditor's Office.
• Superintends and manages local government finances. This function of the state controller's work is concerned with collecting, apportioning, and distributing property taxes and other state aids among the many counties, cities, towns, and school districts. Moreover, the state controller prescribes uniform accounting, budgeting, and financial reporting systems applicable to all of California's nearly 5,000 local governments.

Moreover, the state controller serves on over 70 boards and commissions, including the California State Lands Commission, California State Teachers’ Retirement System, California Public Employees’ Retirement System, California Board of Equalization, California Franchise Tax Board, California Pollution Control Financing Authority, the California Debt Limit Allocation Commission, California Alternative Energy Source Financing Authority, the California Education Facilities Authority, and the California Victim Compensation Board, among others.^[3]

Staff[]

The Office has a staff of Deputy State Controllers that help the State Controller fulfill her elected duties, including sitting on the Board of Equalization and other boards for the State Controller in absentia. Noted former Deputy State Controllers include , , and .

List of California State Controllers[]

300 Capitol Mall is home to several state agencies including the Controller's Office

References[]

External links[]

• Official website