Section 4369.3.

In designing and developing the overall program, the office shall do all of the following:

(a) Develop a statewide plan to address problem and pathological gambling.

(b) Adopt any regulations necessary to administer the program.

(c) Develop priorities for funding services and criteria for distributing program funds.

(d) Monitor the expenditures of state funds by agencies and organizations receiving program funding.

(e) Evaluate the effectiveness of services provided through the program.

(f) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any contracts required to meet the requirements of this chapter are exempt from the requirements contained in the Public Contract Code and the State Administrative Manual, and are exempt from the approval of the Department of General Services.

(g) The first and highest priority of the office with respect to the use of any funds appropriated for the purposes of this chapter shall be to carry out subdivision (a).

(h) Administrative costs for the program may not exceed 10 percent of the total funding budgeted for the program.

(Amended by Stats. 2003, Ch. 210, Sec. 6. Effective August 11, 2003.)