CALIFORNIA BRIEFING / SACRAMENTO

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has appointed a new director of the Department of Consumer Affairs, filling an opening created after the last director resigned amid disclosures about expenses she charged to taxpayers, including transportation to attend a Justin Timberlake concert with her daughter.

Brian J. Stiger, 50, who has held positions with several consumer-oriented state boards and agencies, including the chiropractor board and Bureau of Home Furnishing and Thermal Insulation, has been named to run the department. The position requires state Senate confirmation.

The previous director, Carrie Lopez, stepped down in March, when she was presented with findings of a review undertaken by Schwarzenegger’s finance office after a Times report spotlighted travel expenses for her and nine other administration officials.

Lopez was the second high-ranking Schwarzenegger administration official to resign over travel expense issues. She followed Rosario Marin, a member of the governor’s Cabinet who was Lopez’s boss and led the State and Consumer Services Agency.

-- Evan Halper