Audits sought of bullet train, inmate sterilization, MediCal fraud
SACRAMENTO -- The first track has not been laid, but already state lawmakers are calling for an audit of California’s bullet train project.
That is one of 10 audits that lawmakers will ask to be approved Wednesday morning by the Joint Legislative Audit Committee.
The $68-billion high-speed rail project is about to begin buying 356 parcels of land in Fresno and Madera counties, and Republican Assemblymen Jim Patterson of Fresno and Frank Bigelow of Madera want auditors to look at the process set up for purchases, including the ability of land owners to appeal offers.
“We’ve got farmers in the district who are concerned about their land,” said Michael Zimmerman, a spokesman for Patterson. “We want to ensure that this is on the up and up.”
Other requests for audits to be considered today:
--A review of reports that female prison inmates were sterilized without approval of a state medical panel.
--An audit of drug rehabilitation programs covered by MediCal after recent media reports of fraud.
--An examination of sexual harrassment in postsecondary higher education.
--A review of the accreditation process for California community colleges.
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