Legislative printing and publications.
If enacted, AB 651 would directly affect the pricing mechanisms for legislative publications. The intention is to make these materials more accessible to the public by preventing excessive fees. By establishing a price ceiling based on production costs, the bill seeks to promote transparency and accountability in how government publications are distributed and sold. This could lead to increased public access to legislative materials, benefiting researchers, civic organizations, and the general populace who wish to stay informed about government actions.
Assembly Bill 651, introduced by Assembly Member Waldron, aims to amend Section 9792 of the Government Code concerning the pricing of legislative materials provided by the Department of General Services. The bill proposes that the Department can only charge for copies of laws, resolutions, and journals based on the actual and reasonable costs incurred in their production. This change is intended to ensure that the costs for these materials are fair and justifiable, addressing potential concerns about overpricing.
While the bill seems to have a straightforward objective, there may be points of contention regarding how 'actual and reasonable costs' are determined. Some stakeholders might argue over what constitutes reasonable production costs, which could lead to debates about budgeting and resource allocation within the Department of General Services. Additionally, the effectiveness of such a proposal in providing true accessibility and utility to the public remains to be tested, as it may depend on the implementation mechanisms established following the bill's passage.