Title GOV — California Gov. Code

It is the policy of this State to vest in the Governor the civil administration of the laws of the State and for the purpose of aiding the Governor in the execution and administration of the laws to divide the executive and administrative work into departments as provided by law.

Each department shall maintain an office and the director of each department who is a member of the Governor’s council shall reside at Sacramento. Each department shall adopt and keep an official seal.

Subject to the approval of the Governor, the head of each department may arrange and classify the work of the department and consolidate, abolish, or create divisions thereof. So far as consistent with law the head of each department may adopt such rules and regulations as are ne…

Wherever, pursuant to this code, any state department, officer, board, agency, committee, or commission is authorized to adopt rules and regulations, such rules and regulations which are building standards, as defined in Section 18909 of the Health and Safety Code, shall be adopt…

Except as otherwise provided by law, each division of a department shall be in charge of a chief who shall be appointed by the head of the department and receive such compensation as is fixed according to law. When a new division is created and a new chief appointed the salary of…

Except as otherwise provided by law, the head of each department may, with the approval of the Governor, appoint such officers and employees as are necessary; and prescribe their duties, and fix their salaries in accordance with classifications made by the State Personnel Board.

The head of a department has no authority to obligate the State for salaries in excess of money available by law for that purpose.

In addition to any bonds required by the Director of General Services the head of each department may require any officer or employee in his department to execute an official bond in such amount as he determines.

The Attorney General is the legal adviser of each department in all matters relating to the department and to the powers and duties of its officers. Upon request of the head of a department, the Attorney General, or under his direction, the district attorney of any county in whic…

The sheriffs in the several counties shall execute all lawful orders of a department in their counties.

Whenever a department succeeds to and is vested with the duties, powers, purposes, responsibilities and jurisdiction of a State agency, deputy, employee, or employment, the name or designation of the State agency, deputy, employee, or employment and of its several members, office…

Whenever a department is invested with the power and is charged with the duty of administering and enforcing any law which imposes a duty or jurisdiction or confers an authority upon any State agency, deputy or employee, to administer its provisions, the duty, jurisdiction, and a…

Every person is subject to the same obligations and duties, and has the same rights as if the rights, powers and duties imposed upon and transferred to a department were exercised by the State agency, deputy or employee designated in the laws administered by departments created i…

Every State officer, deputy and employee is subject to the same penalties, civil or criminal, for any offense as are prescribed by existing law for the same offense by any officer, deputy or employee whose powers or duties are devolved upon him under any law creating a new depart…

The head of each department may make investigations and prosecute actions concerning: (a) All matters relating to the business activities and subjects under the jurisdiction of the department. (b) Violations of any law or rule or order of the department. (c) Such other matters as…

At the request of a prosecuting attorney or the Attorney General, any agency, bureau, or department of this state, any other state, or the United States may assist in conducting an investigation of any unlawful activity that involves matters within or reasonably related to the ju…

In connection with any investigation or action authorized by this article, the department head may do any of the following: (a) Inspect and copy books, records, and other items described in subdivision (e). (b) Hear complaints. (c) Administer oaths. (d) Certify to all official ac…

The head of a department may delegate the powers conferred upon him by this article to any officer of the department he authorizes to conduct the investigation or hearing.

Except in a report to the head of the department or when called upon to testify in any court or proceeding at law or as provided in Section 11180.5 or subdivisions (g) and (h) of Section 11181, an officer shall not divulge any information or evidence acquired by the officer from …

(a) In any hearing in any part of the state or in any investigation conducted under this article, the head of the department shall issue process and subpoenas in a manner consistent with the California Constitution and the United States Constitution, and the process and subpoenas…

(a) If the witness named in the subpoena is a natural person, the person is not obliged to attend as a witness in any matter under this article at a place out of the county in which he or she resides, unless the distance is less than 75 miles from his or her place of residence. (…

The superior court in the county in which any hearing is held or any investigation is conducted under the direction of the head of a department or the county in which testimony is designated to be given or documents or other items are designated to be produced, has jurisdiction t…

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (c), if any witness refuses to answer any interrogatory or to attend or testify or produce or permit the inspection or copying of any papers or other items described in subdivision (e) of Section 11181 required by subpoena, the head of the de…

Upon the filing of the petition the court shall enter an order directing the person to appear before the court at a specified time and place and then and there show cause why the person has not attended, testified, answered interrogatories, or produced or permitted the inspection…

In any matter pending before a department head, the department head may cause the deposition of persons residing within or without the state to be taken by causing a petition to be filed in the Superior Court in the County of Sacramento reciting the nature of the matter pending, …

Any party to any departmental hearing has the right to the attendance of witnesses in his behalf at the hearing or upon deposition upon making request therefor to the head of the department, designating the persons sought to be subpenaed, and depositing with the officer before wh…

Each witness, other than an officer or employee of the State or of a political subdivision of the State, who appears by order of the head of a department shall receive for his attendance the same fees and all witnesses shall receive the same mileage allowed by law to a witness in…

The Governor, upon recommendation of the director of the following state departments, may appoint not to exceed two chief deputies for the Directors of the Departments of Finance, Transportation, and General Services, and not to exceed one chief deputy for the Directors of the De…

The Governor, upon nomination by the Insurance Commissioner, shall appoint the nominees as one chief deputy, and as one deputy director of the Department of Insurance to serve at the pleasure of the Insurance Commissioner. Absent an affirmative appointment by the Governor, the no…

The Governor, upon recommendation of the Director of the Department of Industrial Relations may appoint not to exceed one chief deputy for the Director of the Department of Industrial Relations. The deputy provided for in this section shall be in addition to those which may be au…

Each deputy appointed pursuant to Section 11200 shall serve at the pleasure of the director of the department in which he is appointed, and his salary shall be fixed by the director of that department in accordance with law. The deputy shall have such duties as may be assigned to…

The Lieutenant Governor may appoint and, subject to the approval of the Director of Finance, fix the salaries of one secretary and such clerical assistants as the Lieutenant Governor deems necessary for the Lieutenant Governor’s office.

(a) It is the intent of the Legislature in establishing the bureau to establish an initial framework and it is the intent of the Legislature that the scope and responsibilities of the bureau may expand as necessary to fulfill its mission and address additional harms as identified…

For purposes of this chapter: (a) “Bureau” means the Bureau for Descendants of American Slavery. (b) “Deputy director” means the Deputy Director of the Bureau for Descendants of American Slavery. (c) “Descendants” means individuals who can establish direct lineage to a person who…

(a) The Bureau for Descendants of American Slavery is hereby established within the department. The bureau shall be under the direct control of a deputy director who shall be responsible to the Director of Civil Rights. (b) The deputy director shall be appointed by the Governor a…

(a) As part of its duties, the bureau shall verify an individual’s status as a descendant. Proof of an individual’s descendant status shall be a qualifying criterion for benefits authorized by the state for descendants. The bureau shall create a Genealogy Division. (b) Following …

(a) The bureau shall create an Education and Outreach Division to develop and implement a public education campaign regarding all of the following: (1) The cycle of gentrification, displacement, and exclusion. (2) The connection between redlining and gentrification. (3) The histo…

The bureau shall create a Legal Affairs Division to do all of the following: (a) Provide legal advice, counsel, and services to the bureau and its officials. (b) Ensure that the bureau’s programs are administered in accordance with applicable legislative authority. (c) Advise the…

(a) Nonpublic personal and genetic information held under the bureau’s authority shall be collected, held, and disclosed only as relevant and necessary to accomplish the purposes set forth in this chapter and in a manner permitted by and consistent with federal and California dat…

The Civil Rights Department may adopt, promulgate, amend, and rescind suitable rules and regulations to implement this chapter.

(a) Notwithstanding any other law, the bureau may receive moneys from any federal, state, or local grant and from any nongovernmental entity, including from any private donation or grant, for the purposes of this chapter. (b) Receipt of funds pursuant to this section shall not co…

If any clause, sentence, paragraph, provision, part, or section of this chapter, or the application thereof, for any reason, is adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, that judgment shall not affect, impair, or invalidate the remainder of this chapter and the…

Every officer, the mode of whose appointment is not prescribed by law, shall be appointed by the Governor. (Enacted by Stats. 1943, Ch. 134.)

Every office, the term of which is not fixed by law, is held at the pleasure of the appointing power. (Enacted by Stats. 1943, Ch. 134.)

Every officer whose term has expired shall continue to discharge the duties of his office until his successor has qualified. (Enacted by Stats. 1943, Ch. 134.)

Every person who exercises any function of a public office without taking the oath of office, or without giving the required bond, is guilty of a misdemeanor. This section does not affect the validity of acts done by a person exercising the functions of a public office in fact, w…

(a) The Speaker of the Assembly or the Senate Committee on Rules may appoint a Member of the Legislature or legislative staff to serve as an alternate for a Member of the Legislature appointed to a state board or commission within the Natural Resources Agency in the Member’s abse…

(a) Commencing January 1, 2027, the office of the Governor shall maintain on its internet website a list of each state board or commission, as well as the board or commission’s membership list, stated purpose, duties, meeting frequency, internet website, and any vacancies in its …

(a) Commencing January 1, 2027, the Secretary of the Senate and the Chief Clerk of the Assembly shall maintain on their respective internet websites, or include a link on their respective internet websites to any available resources that contain, a list of each state board or com…

The department has general powers of supervision over all matters concerning the financial and business policies of the State and whenever it deems it necessary, or at the instance of the Governor, shall institute or cause the institution of such investigations and proceedings as…