This chapter includes a brief description of the other elements that comprise the organizational framework proposed by the California Performance Review.

The Department of Food and Agriculture is a model of the type of vertically integrated, customer focused and mission driven department this organizational framework hopes to replicate throughout state government. The Department exemplifies the provision of a single point of contact and authority for issues relating to one of the state’s largest industries and public resources.

An analysis of the Department does, however, suggest modest changes are necessary. California’s food safety programs are primarily contained within the Department of Food and Agriculture; however, some vital components fall under the jurisdiction of the Department of Health Services. To improve efficient delivery of service and bolster public protection against food borne illness, these functions should to be transferred to the Department of Food and Agriculture.

In contrast, despite its origins as an oversight function for agricultural production, the expanded mission of the Department’s Division of Weights and Measurement, which includes a variety of consumer transactions—from supermarkets to gasoline stations—suggests that this function should be transferred to the state agency responsible for consumer protection.

Finally, in an effort to refocus government on essential functions and to redirect functions to cooperative public-private ventures, where possible, the California Performance Review recommends that the 54 District Agricultural Associations—commonly referred to as “county fairs”—and the Department’s Commodity Boards (including marketing agreements and similar arrangements) be transformed into public benefit corporations. These recommendations are discussed in greater detail within Volume 4 of the report of the California Performance Review.

This proposed organizational framework is depicted in Exhibit 13.

The Department of Veterans Affairs should retain its current structure and functions, with the exception of the addition of responsibility for approving educational programs for veterans currently administered by the Bureau of Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education, which should be transferred to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

This proposed organizational framework is depicted in Exhibit 14.

Community service is a core value of the people of California, but recent trends show a decline in the number of people volunteering their time. Currently, responsibility and support for community service and volunteerism is spread throughout the bureaucracy and there is no one clear point of contact for Californians eager to volunteer, businesses that want to get involved with service initiatives or for philanthropists who wish to contribute to state sponsored activities. Currently there are four key service and volunteer programs, these include:

• The Governor’s Office of Service and Volunteerism;
• The California Conservation Corps in the Resources Agency;
• The Mentoring Program in the Health and Human Services Agency; and
• The Arts Council.

These independent service and volunteer programs should be consolidated into an integrated California Service Corps. The Service Corps should coordinate current activities and provide much needed vision and strategy for community service and volunteer programs throughout the state. This consolidation should eliminate duplication of effort and allow best practices to be utilized across programs.

This proposed organizational framework is discussed in greater detail in Volume 4 of the report of the California Performance Review and is depicted in Exhibit 15.

The Corrections Independent Review Panel, in its report to Governor Schwarzenegger, recommended the realignment of youth and adult correctional programs into a Department of Correctional Services. The reorganization that the Panel proposes is discussed in greater detail within its report to the Governor (see Exhibit 16).

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