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SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- 7 On Your Side has an update and immoderate clarifications to a 7 On Your Side probe into the authorities security commissioner's question expenses.
Since January 2025, 7 On Your Side has requested thousands of nationalist records detailing much than 100 trips Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara has taken wrong the US and internationally -- including 1 past twelvemonth to Cape Town, South Africa.
California's security marketplace is 1 of the largest successful the satellite -- which is wherefore question is communal for the state's existent and past security commissioners.
Prior reporting referenced the usage of "taxpayer" funds for California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara's travel. After further communications with Commissioner Lara's bureau and reappraisal of further documents, we privation to clarify that backing for Lara's question comes from:
The California Department of Insurance, oregon CDI, which is simply a special-revenue-fund bureau chiefly supported by fees and assessments connected the security manufacture -- alternatively than proceeds from taxes. That wealth is deposited into the authorities security fund, which is taxable to an yearly appropriation by the legislature.
CDI says question organized by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) is paid for by that group. The Department of Insurance pays NAIC a $150,000 yearly appraisal from its operating budget.
Commissioner Lara has taken "personal days" connected definite trips, and the section says Lara pays for those question expenses himself. CDI told 7 On Your Side it does not person records oregon receipts of Commissioner Lara's idiosyncratic spending connected the 2024 travel to South Africa because, similar different agencies, it doesn't support oregon inquire for records of employees' spending connected their ain time.
ABC7 obtained respective records showing safari-related information expenses successful Cape Town successful aboriginal December past year. However, the section states determination is nary grounds that Commissioner Lara's idiosyncratic safari disbursal was paid for by the department. Only CHP information accompanying Lara connected the safari was expensed.
After further communication, CDI says Commissioner Lara was successful South Africa for 11 days, not for the 2 and a fractional weeks that his information item was there. As stated successful our anterior reporting, Commissioner Lara and the section accidental they are not liable for determining information needs.
As a substance of argumentation dating backmost respective commissioners, Commissioner Lara's information and extortion services are provided by a declaration with the California Highway Patrol.
Our anterior study stated that information extortion from 2 2019 trips was provided "in addition" to the yearly declaration that covered expenses up to $260,000 that year, but Commissioner Lara's bureau aboriginal clarified that each information during question is "included within" that declaration each year. CDI says information services are covered anyplace CHP determines it is needed, per their ain confidential menace assessments and information protocols.
In the people of our continued questioning, the California Department of Insurance has acknowledged immoderate mediocre record-keeping for definite trips dating backmost to earlier Lara's tenure -- adding that immoderate older records are nary longer accessible.
Specifically, we've identified much than a twelve of Commissioner Lara's trips that were not reported connected authorities disclosure forms, required by law.
The section has since told america it is updating these filings for Lara's information successful NAIC-funded events.
Editor's Note: The communicative antecedently reported has been updated with caller accusation provided aft the aerial date.
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