The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) Early settlement of mandate claims will allow the commission to focus its efforts on rendering sound quasi-judicial decisions regarding complicated disputes over the existence of state-mandated local programs.
(b) Early settlement of mandate claims will provide timely information to the Legislature regarding local costs of state requirements and timely reimbursement to local agencies or school districts.
(c) It is the intent of the Legislature to provide for an orderly process for settling mandate claims in which the parties are in substantial agreement. Nothing in this article diminishes the right of a local agency or school district that chooses not to accept reimbursement pursuant to this article from filing a test claim with the commission or taking other steps to obtain reimbursement pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution.