(a) Commencing not earlier than July 1, 2011, and not later than December 15, 2012, the State Auditor shall establish a pilot program to audit six trial courts. That entity shall select the trial courts using the following criteria:
(1) Two trial courts selected from counties with a population of 200,000 or less.
(2) Two trial courts selected from counties with a population greater than 200,000 and less than 750,000.
(3) Two trial courts selected from counties with a population of 750,000 or greater.
The audits shall assess the implementation of this part by the judicial branch.
(b) Based on the results of the pilot program audits described in subdivision (a), the State Auditor shall, on or before December 15, 2013, commence an audit of the trial courts, provided that every trial court is audited in the manner prescribed by this section at least once every four years. The audits shall assess the implementation of this part by the judicial branch. The audits required by this paragraph shall be in addition to any audit regularly conducted pursuant to any other provision of law.
(c) Notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, the State Auditor shall compile the trial court audit findings and report the results of these audits to the Legislature, the Judicial Council, and the Department of Finance no later than April 1 of each year. An audit report shall not be considered final until the audited entity is provided a reasonable opportunity to respond and the response is included with, or incorporated into, the report.
(d) The reasonable and necessary contracted cost of the audits conducted pursuant to this section shall be paid from funds of the local trial court being audited.
(e) (1) On or before December 15, 2013, and biennially thereafter, the State Auditor shall perform an audit of the Administrative Office of the Courts, the Habeas Corpus Resource Center, and the appellate courts to assess their implementation of this part.
(2) The State Auditor shall provide a copy of the final audit report of the Administrative Office of the Courts to the Legislature, the Judicial Council, and the Department of Finance upon issuance. An audit report shall not be considered final until the audited entity is provided a reasonable opportunity to respond and the response is included with, or incorporated into, the report.
(3) Any reasonable and necessary contracted costs incurred by the auditing entity pursuant to this subdivision shall be reimbursed by the Administrative Office of the Courts.
(f) The State Auditor shall conduct the audits required pursuant to this section in accordance with Chapter 6.5 (commencing with Section 8543) of Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
(g) If the State Auditor is selected as the auditing entity pursuant to subdivision (j) of Section 77206 of the Government Code, then the State Auditor may combine the results of any audit of a trial court conducted pursuant to that section with an audit of the same trial court conducted pursuant to this section. The State Auditor may also combine the results of an audit of the Administrative Office of the Courts pursuant to Section 77206 of the Government Code with the results of an audit of the Administrative Office of the Courts pursuant to this section.
(h) A report submitted pursuant to this section shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.