SACRAMENTO, CA – Assembly Republicans today called for a special legislative session aimed at addressing widespread fraud across California’s state programs. The announcement came during a press conference at the State Capitol, following recent high-profile arrests connected to a major hospice fraud ring, as highlighted by California Attorney General Rob Bonta.
In a letter sent to Governor Gavin Newsom, Assembly Republican Leader Heath Flora and caucus members cited new estimates suggesting California may have lost at least $180 billion to fraud across various state programs. These estimates are based on audits, public records, and prior investigations.
“The governor says he’s been going after fraud since day one. If that’s true, why are arrests only being reported now?” said Assembly Republican Leader Heath Flora. “It should not take public pressure to get results. Californians deserve answers.”
Republicans emphasized that enforcement actions have largely followed increased public scrutiny, including investigative efforts by individuals such as Nick Shirley and Assemblymember Alexandra Macedo, who have brought renewed attention to fraud and abuse within the state.
Concerns were also raised about proposed legislation from Democrats that would restrict the release of investigative videos and impose penalties on those exposing fraud. Assemblymember Josh Hoover criticized these measures, stating, “Bills that would hide documents on high-speed rail accountability, increase the cost of Public Records Act requests, and criminalize investigative journalism, such as AB 2624, are moving in the wrong direction.”
The Assembly Republican caucus urged the legislature to convene a special session to fully assess the scope of fraud, identify oversight failures, and implement stronger protections for taxpayer dollars.
