CALIFORNIA — Legislators voted on May 11 to fast-track an audit of the Division of the State Architect following a California Watch investigation that found the office has regularly failed to enforce earthquake safety laws.
The immediate purpose of the audit would be to determine whether the office allows the construction of unsafe school buildings, California Watch reports. State Auditor Elaine Howle said this part of the audit could be completed within six months.
Secondly, the audit would examine how the office evaluates the skills of construction workers involved in building schools.
At last month’s Senate Select Committee on Earthquake and Disaster Preparedness hearing, officials pledged to adjust the criteria for accessing seismic repair funds so schools could more easily access them.
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