California Legislature May Revise Its Ineffective Ombuds Program

In 2014, the California State Senate created a Ombuds program, “to facilitate the receipt of information about potential ethical violations.”  Since then, it has flown completely under the radar: there is no public information on the legislature's website and the toll-free telephone number is unlisted.  Moreover, the office is headed the staff director for the senate ethics committee.  

In light of new allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct by state lawmakers, there is increased scrutiny on reporting mechanisms, including the dysfunctional and invisible Ombuds office.  The state assembly member from Santa Barbara, Monique Limón, is one of several lawmakers who wants a different Ombuds office. Limón, who previously worked at UC Santa Barbara, said that the University of California's Ombuds offices are an important program to address assault. “I think you see industry organizations handle this in different ways,” she said. The state assembly will hold hearings in November to determine how to address the problem.  (Santa Barbara Independent; LA Times.)

Related posts: Law Would Create Ombuds for California Legislature; Update: California Senate to Appoint Ombuds; University of California Protects All its Ombuds Under Updated Sexual Misconduct Policy.