The review required pursuant to Section 34179.5 shall be submitted to the oversight board for review. The successor agency shall submit a copy of the Recognized Obligation Payment Schedule to the county administrative officer, the county auditor-controller, and the Department of Finance at the same time that the successor agency submits the review to the oversight board for review.

(a) By October 1, 2012, each successor agency shall provide to the oversight board, the county auditor-controller, the Controller, and the Department of Finance the results of the review conducted pursuant to Section 34179.5 for the Low and Moderate Income Housing Fund and specifically the amount of cash and cash equivalents determined to be available for allocation to taxing entities. By December 15, 2012, each successor agency shall provide to the oversight board, the county auditor-controller, the Controller, and the department the results of the review conducted pursuant to Section 34179.5 for all of the other fund and account balances and specifically the amount of cash and cash equivalents determined to be available for allocation to taxing entities. The department may request any supporting documentation and review results to assist in its review under subdivision (d). The department may specify the form and manner information about the review shall be provided to it.

(b) Upon receipt of the review, the oversight board shall convene a public comment session to take place at least five business days before the oversight board holds the approval vote specified in subdivision (c). The oversight board also shall consider any opinions offered by the county auditor-controller on the review results submitted by the successor agencies.

(c) By October 15, 2012, for the Low and Moderate Income Housing Fund and by January 15, 2013, for all other funds and accounts, the oversight board shall review, approve, and transmit to the department and the county auditor-controller the determination of the amount of cash and cash equivalents that are available for disbursement to taxing entities as determined according to the method provided in Section 34179.5. The oversight board may adjust any amount provided in the review to reflect additional information and analysis. The review and approval shall occur in public sessions. The oversight board may request from the successor agency any materials it deems necessary to assist in its review and approval of the determination. The oversight board shall be empowered to authorize a successor agency to retain assets or funds identified in subparagraphs (B) to (E), inclusive, of paragraph (5) of subdivision (c) of Section 34179.5. An oversight board that makes that authorization also shall identify to the department the amount of funds authorized for retention, the source of those funds, and the purposes for which those funds are being retained. The determination and authorization to retain funds and assets shall be subject to the review and approval of the department pursuant to subdivision (d).

(d) The department may adjust any amount associated with the determination of the resulting amount described in paragraph (6) of subdivision (c) of Section 34179.5 based on its analysis and information provided by the successor agency and others. The department shall consider any findings or opinions of the county auditor-controllers and the Controller. The department shall complete its review of the determinations provided pursuant to subdivision (c) no later than November 9, 2012, for the Low and Moderate Income Housing Fund and also shall notify the oversight board and the successor agency of its decision to overturn any decision of the oversight board to authorize a successor agency to retain assets or funds made pursuant to subdivision (c). The department shall complete its review of the determinations provided pursuant to subdivision (c) no later than April 1, 2013, for the other funds and accounts and also shall notify the oversight board and the successor agency of its decision to overturn any oversight board authorizations made pursuant to subdivision (c). The department shall provide the oversight board and the successor agency an explanation of its basis for overturning or modifying any findings, determinations, or authorizations of the oversight board made pursuant to subdivision (c).

(e) The successor agency and the entity or entities that created the former redevelopment agency may request to meet and confer with the department to resolve any disputes regarding the amounts or sources of funds identified as determined by the department. The request shall be made within five business days of the transmission, and no later than November 16, 2012, for the determination regarding the Low and Moderate Income Housing Fund, to the successor agency or the designated local authority of the department’s determination, decisions, and explanations and shall be accompanied by an explanation and documentation of the basis of the dispute. The department shall meet and confer with the requesting party and modify its determinations and decisions accordingly. The department shall either confirm or modify its determinations and decisions within 30 days of the request to meet and confer.

(f)  Each successor agency shall transmit to the county auditor-controller the amount of funds required pursuant to the determination of the department within five working days of receipt of the notification under subdivision (c) or (e) if a meet and confer request is made. Successor agencies shall make diligent efforts to recover any money determined to have been transferred without an enforceable obligation as described in paragraphs (2) and (3) of subdivision (c) of Section 34179.5. The department shall notify the county auditor-controllers of its actions and the county auditor-controllers shall disburse the funds received from successor agencies to taxing entities pursuant to Section 34188 within five working days of receipt. Amounts received after November 28, 2012, and April 10, 2013, may be held and disbursed with the regular payments to taxing entities pursuant to Section 34183.

(g) By December 1, 2012, the county auditor-controller shall provide the department a report specifying the amount submitted by each successor agency pursuant to subdivision (d) for low- and moderate-income housing funds, and specifically noting those successor agencies that failed to remit the full required amount. By April 20, 2013, the county auditor-controller shall provide the department a report detailing the amount submitted by each successor agency pursuant to subdivision (d) for all other funds and accounts, and specifically noting those successor agencies that failed to remit the full required amount.

(h) If a successor agency fails to remit to the county auditor-controller the sums identified in subdivisions (d) and (f), by the deadlines specified in those subdivisions, the following remedies are available:

(1) (A) If the successor agency cannot promptly recover the funds that have been transferred to another public agency without an enforceable obligation as described in paragraphs (2) and (3) of subdivision (c) of Section 34179.5, the funds may be recovered through an offset of sales and use tax or property tax allocations to the local agency to which the funds were transferred. To recover such funds, the Department of Finance may order the State Board of Equalization to make an offset pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 34179.8. If the Department of Finance does not order a sales tax offset, the county auditor-controller may reduce the property tax allocations to any local agency in the county that fails to repay funds pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 34179.8.

(B) The county auditor-controller and the department shall each have the authority to demand the return of funds improperly spent or transferred to a private person or other private entity. If funds are not repaid within 60 days, they may be recovered through any lawful means of collection and are subject to a ten percent penalty plus interest at the rate charged for late personal income tax payments from the date the improper payment was made to the date the money is repaid.

(C) If the city, county, or city and county that created the former redevelopment agency is also performing the duties of the successor agency, the Department of Finance may order an offset to the distribution provided to the sales and use tax revenue to that agency pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 34179.8. This offset shall be equal to the amount the successor fails to remit pursuant to subdivision (f). If the Department of Finance does not order a sales tax offset, the county auditor-controller may reduce the property tax allocations of the city, county, or city and county that created the former redevelopment agency pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 34179.8.

(D) The department and the county auditor-controller shall coordinate their actions undertaken pursuant to this paragraph.

(2) Alternatively or in addition to the remedies provided in paragraph (1), the department may direct the county auditor-controller to deduct the unpaid amount from future allocations of property tax to the successor agency under Section 34183 until the amount of payment required pursuant to subdivision (d) is accomplished.

(3) If the Department of Finance determines that payment of the full amount required under subdivision (d) is not currently feasible or would jeopardize the ability of the successor agency to pay enforceable obligations in a timely manner, it may agree to an installment payment plan.

(i) (1) If a legal action contesting a withholding effectuated by the State Board of Equalization pursuant to subparagraphs (B), (C), or (B) and (C) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 34183.5 is successful and results in a final judicial determination, the court shall order the state to pay to the prevailing party a penalty equal to a percentage of the amount of funds found by the court to be improperly withheld, as provided in Section 34179.8. This percentage shall be equivalent to the number of months the funds have been found by the court to be improperly withheld, not to exceed 10 percent.

(2) If a legal action contesting an offset effectuated by the State Board of Equalization or the county auditor-controller pursuant to subdivision (h) is successful and results in a final judicial determination, the court shall order the state or the county auditor-controller to pay to the prevailing party a penalty equal to 10 percent of the amount of funds found by the court to be improperly offset, as provided in Section 34179.8.

(j) If a legal challenge to invalidate any provision in subdivision (h) or subparagraph (B) or (C), or subparagraphs (B) and (C) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 34183.5 is successful and results in a final judicial determination, the invalidated provision shall become inoperative and subdivision (i) shall become inoperative with respect to the invalidated provision.

(Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 26, Sec. 18. (AB 1484) Effective June 27, 2012.)