Req. No. 62 Page 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 STATE OF OKLAHOMA 1st Session of the 58th Legislature (2021) SENATE BILL 895 By: Rosino AS INTRODUCED An Act relating to state audits; amending Sec tion 74 O.S. 2011, Section 212 , as last amended by Section 1, Chapter 187, O.S.L. 2014 (74 O.S. Supp. 2020, Section 212), which relates to the duti es and powers of the State Auditor and Inspector ; allowing state agencies to choose public audit; providing that the state agency director has sole discretion to utilize a public audit and to request cost estimate from the State Auditor and Inspector ; requiring certain notification upon decision; relieving State Auditor and Inspector of statutory duties upon noti fication; modifying definition; amending 74 O.S. 2011, Section 212A, as amended by Section 8 43, Chapter 304, O.S.L. 2012 (74 O.S. Supp. 2020, Section 212A) , which relates to audits of governmental entities; adding provision for state agencies; and providing an effective date. BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 74 O.S. 2011, Section 212, as last amended by Section 1, Chapter 187, O.S.L. 2 014 (74 O.S. Supp. 2020, Section 212), is amended to read as follows: Section 212. A. STATE TREASURER AND OKLAHOMA TAX COMMISSION 1. The State Treasurer and the Oklahoma Tax Commission shall prepare annual financial statements in accordance with the reporting Req. No. 62 Page 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 requirements set forth by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB). The State Treasurer and the Tax Commission shall prescribe and implement sound internal control, accounting and recordkeeping practices consistent with and to facilitate compliance with all reporting requirements as set forth by law. 2. The annual financial statements of the State Treasurer and the Tax Commission shall be delivered by the State Treasurer and the Tax Commission to the State Auditor and Inspector within ninety (90) calendar days after the close of the state fiscal year. 3. The State Auditor and Inspector shall perform an audit of the annual financial statements of the State Treasurer and the Tax Commission for each state fiscal year. Such audits shall be conducted in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States and the standards applicable to financial audits contained in Government Auditing Standards, latest revised edition, issued by the Comptroller Ge neral of the United States. The State Auditor and Inspector shall complete the audits not later than ninety (90) calendar days after the financial statements are delivered to the State Auditor and Inspector. The annual audit reports and related financial statements shall be delivered by the State Auditor and Inspector to the Governor, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and Speaker of the House of Representa tives. The annual audit report and related financial statements of the State Treasurer shall also be delivered to the Attorney General and the Req. No. 62 Page 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 members of the Cash Management and Investment Oversight Commi ssion created by Section 71.1 of Title 62 of the Ok lahoma Statutes. The annual audit report and related financial statements of the Tax Commission shall also be delivered to the Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services and the Legislat ive Service Bureau. The State Auditor and Inspecto r shall conduct unannounced cash audits of the State Treasury at least once ea ch quarter. 4. The audit of the Tax Commission shall be continuous in nature. The Tax Commission shall furnish the necessary office space for the employees of the State Auditor and Inspector making the audit and, to the extent of the amount included in t he Tax Commission’s appropriation therefor, the Tax Commission shall pay the expenses of the audits , including personal service s, equipment and supplies, from the appropriation. B. STATE AGENCIES 1. Except as otherwise provided by law , the State Auditor and Inspector shall audit at least once every two (2) fiscal years the books and accounts of all state agen cies whose duty it i s to collect, disburse or manage funds of the state . The State Auditor and Inspector shall audit a state agency each fiscal year if that state agency is required to be audited on an annual basis pursuant to the federal Single Audit Act of 1984, as amended, 31 U.S.C., Section 7501 et seq. If the state age ncy is audited only once every two (2) fiscal years, the audit shall cover bot h fiscal years. Req. No. 62 Page 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 2. Except as otherwise provided by law, the scope of audits performed by the State Auditor and Inspector shall include all funds collected, disbursed, or managed by a state agency including, but not limited to, all special, revolving, depo sitory, canteen, or other nonstate funds. 3. State agencies may choose to have the required audit performed by a public accountant or certified public accountant registered to do business with this state. Use of a public accountant or certified public accountant shall follow the procedures and standards established for government entities in Section 212A of this title . 4. The decision to utilize a public accountant or certified public accountant instead of the State Audi tor and Inspector sh all be at the sole discretion of the ag ency director. The agency director may request a cost estimate from the State Audito r and Inspector to assist him or her in deciding which entity sh all perform the audit. 5. The agency director shall notify the State Auditor and Inspector if he or she chooses to have the agency’s audit performed by a public accountant or certified public accountant. 6. Upon notification by a state agency to use a public accountant or certified public accountant , the State Auditor and Inspector is relieved of his or her statutory duty to perform that audit. Req. No. 62 Page 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 3. 7. As used in this section, “state agency” means every agency, board, or commission included in the primary gove rnment of the State of Oklahoma. For purpos es of this paragraph , the primary government of the State of Oklahoma includes a ll agencies, boards, and commissions included in the primary gov ernment in the State of Oklahoma Comprehensive Annual Financial Repo rt. The agencies, boards, and commissions included in the prima ry government of the State of Oklahoma shall be determined u sing criteria set by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board . 4. 8. As used in this subsection, “audit” means any of the following: a. “financial audit”, which means an audit of financial statements in order to express an opinion on the fairness with which they are presented in conformity with generally accepted a ccounting principles or any other comprehensive basis of accounting, as defined by the American Institute of Cer tified Public Accountants’ Professional Standards, latest revised edition. Financial audits must be conducted in accordance with auditing stand ards generally accepted in the United States and the standards appli cable to financial audits contained in Gover nment Auditing Standards, latest revised edition, issued by the Comptroller General of the United States, Req. No. 62 Page 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 b. “operational audit”, which means an audit conducted in accordance with applicable Government Auditing Standards, the purpose of which is to evaluat e management’s performance in administering assigned responsibilities in accordance with applicable laws, administrative rules , and other policies and guidelines and to determine the extent to which the internal control, as designed and placed in operation , promotes and encourages the achievement of management’s control objectives in the categories of compliance, reliability of financial records a nd reports, and safeguarding of assets, c. “performance audit”, which means an audit of a program, activity, or function of a state agency conducted in accordance with applicable Government Auditing Standards. The term includes, but is not limited to, an audit to assess program, activity, or function effectiveness, econom y and efficiency, internal control, or compliance, d. “special or investigative audit ”, which means an audit with respect to a particular situation which may be, but is not required to shall be, conducted in accordance with applicable Government Auditing Standards, and shall include a management response Req. No. 62 Page 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 that is limited in l ength to the same number of pages as the special or investigative audit report, and e. any other type of engagement cond ucted in accordance with Government Auditing Standards. C. GUBERNATORIAL REQUEST Whenever called upon to do so by the Governor, it shall be the duty of the State Auditor and Inspector to examine the books and accounts of any officer of the state or any of the officer’s predecessors. The cost of the audit shall be borne by the entity to be audited. D. COUNTY TREASURER The State Auditor and Inspector shall examine without notice all books and accounts of each county treasurer of the state twice each year. E. DISTRICT ATTORNEYS 1. The State Auditor and Inspector shall a nnually audit the books and accounts of the se veral offices of the distr ict attorneys of this state. The audits shall be reported in separate reports for each entity. The audit may include , but shall not be limited to, the audit of the financial records, performance measures, and compliance with state or federal statutes and rules, and compliance with any regulations of state or federal programs. The expense of the audits shall be paid by the entity audited. Req. No. 62 Page 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 2. The State Auditor and Inspector shall exam ine and file a report of the accounts establis hed within the office of e ach district attorney for bogus check programs, drug task force programs, child support collection programs , and any other programs receiving any nonstate funds. The reports shall be filed with the President Pro Tempore of the Se nate, the Speaker of the H ouse of Representatives, and the Executive Coordinator of the District Attorneys Council. F. DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION S The State Auditor and Inspector shall perform an annual audit, as defined in paragraph 4 8 of subsection B of th is section, of the books and accounts of the Department of Corrections. The scope of the audit shall be determined by the State Auditor and Ins pector using a risk-based approach. The audit may include, but shall not be limited to, the audit of the financ ial records, performance measures, and compliance with any state or federal statutes and rules, and compliance with any regulations of state or federal programs. The expense of the audits shall be paid by th e Department of Corrections. G. OKLAHOMA EMPLOYEES INSURANCE AND BENEFITS BOARD The State Auditor and Inspector shall cause to be audited the books and accounts of the office of the Oklahoma Employees Insurance and Benefits Board. The audit may include, but shall not be limited to, the audit of the fi nancial records, performan ce measures, Req. No. 62 Page 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 compliance with any state or federal statutes and rules , and compliance with any regulations of state pro grams. The audit shall be contracted out to private audit firms . The cost of the audit shall be borne by the O klahoma Employees Insuranc e and Benefits Board. H. DISTRICT ATTORNEY REQUEST Whenever called upon to do so by any of the several district attorneys of the state, it shall be the duty of the State Auditor and Inspector to examine the books and accounts of any officer of any public entity. The cost of the audit shall be borne by the entity audited. I. COUNTY OFFICERS BY REQUEST Upon request of the county commissioners of any county or the Governor, the State Auditor and Inspector shall examine the books and accounts of all or any o f the officers or custodians of the various funds of the county; and payment for such examination shall be made by the county so examined. J. AUDITORS The State Auditor and Inspecto r shall have power to employ auditors. No auditor shall examine the books or records of the county of the auditor ’s residence in counties of under two hundred thousand (200,000) population ac cording to the most recent Federal Decennial Census. The State Auditor and Inspector may employ on an Req. No. 62 Page 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 as-needed basis only, legal counsel to carry out the statutory duties of the Office of the State Auditor and Inspector. K. EXAMINATION OF LEVIES It shall be the duty of the State Auditor and Inspector to examine all levies to raise public revenue to see that they are made according to law and constitutional provisions. The State Auditor and Inspector shall have the power to order all excessive or erroneous lines (levies) to be corrected by the proper officers, and shall report any irregularities to the Governor, t he Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. L. PETITION AUDITS 1. The State Auditor and Inspector shall audit the books and records of any subdivision of the Stat e of Oklahoma upon petition signed by the requis ite number of voters regis tered in the subdivision and meeting the requirements set out in this subsection. 2. The petition must contain the nu mber of signatures equivalent to ten percent (10%) of the regist ered voters of the subdivision as determined by the county election board or, if the county election board determines that the number of registered voters in the subdivision cannot be determin ed due to boundary lines not conforming to precinct lines, the r equired number of petitioners shall be twenty-five percent (25%) of the to tal number of persons voting in the last general election. If the subdivision is a public Req. No. 62 Page 11 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 trust, the required number of petitioners shall be the same as those required for an audit of its beneficiary. The appropriate county election board shall provide t he number of signatures so required upon request. 3. The petition shall be in the form of an affidavit wherein the signatory shall declare upon oath or affirmation that the information given is true and correct and that he or she is a citizen of the entit y to be audited. The petition shall clearly state that falsely signing shall constitute perjury. It shall include the signature of the individual, the name of the signatory in printed form, the individual’s residential address, the date of signing, the public entity to be audited and the anticipated range of the cost of the audit provided by the State Auditor and Inspector. 4. Any person desiring to petition for an audit shall list the areas, items or concerns they want to be au dited, and request from the State Auditor and Inspector the anticipated range of cost of the audit. Within thirty (30) days from the receipt of the request, the State Auditor and Inspector shall mail a petit ion form to the person requesting the informatio n which shall state the an ticipated range of the cost and the items or concerns to be audited. The circulators of the petition shall have thirt y (30) days from the date the petition is mailed by the State Au ditor and Inspector to Req. No. 62 Page 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 obtain the requisite numb er of signatures and retur n it to the State Auditor and Inspector. 5. Upon collection of the required number of signatures, the person desiring the audit shall present the signed petitions to the State Auditor and Inspector. Within thirty (30) days of re ceipt of the petitions, the State Auditor and Inspector shall present the petitions to the county election board located in the county in which the subdivision is located. 6. The county election board shall determine whether the signers of the petition ar e registered voters of the county in which the subdivision to be audited is located and whether the petition has the requisite number of signatu res of such registered voters. The county election board shall certify the petition as having the required number of signatures or as fai ling to have the required number of signatures and return it to the State Auditor and Inspector. 7. The cost of the a udit shall be borne by the public entity audited. Upon notifica tion by the State Auditor and Inspector of receipt of the petition, certif ied by the county election board as having the required number of signatures, the public entity shall encumber funds in an amount specified by the State Auditor and Inspector, which shall be within the range of anticipated cost stated on the petition from any funds not otherwise specifically appropriated or allocated. Payment for the audit from such Req. No. 62 Page 13 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 encumbered funds shal l be made as work progresses, and final payment shall be made on or before its publication. 8. The names of the signers of any petition s hall be confidential and neither the State Auditor and Inspector, the county election board nor the county treasurer m ay release them to any other person or entity except upon an ord er from a court of competent jurisdiction. M. PENALTIES FOR NONPAYMENT Except as otherwise provided by law, the cost of any services provided by the State Auditor and Inspector or as specifie d in an audit contract shall be borne by the entity or fund audi ted and shall be due and payable upon receipt of progress billing during the course of an audit. Any such costs not paid within ninety (90) days of the date of receipt of billing shall incur a penalty of Ten Dollars ($10.00) per day for each day from the date of receipt of billing. SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 74 O.S. 2011, Section 212A, as amended by Section 843, Chapter 304, O.S.L. 2012 (74 O.S. Supp. 2020, Section 212A), is amended to read as follows: Section 212A. A. 1. Except as otherwise provided by law, all government entities, as defined by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board, shall and, pursuant to the provisions of Section 212 of this title, any state age ncy is authorized to have an audit conducted in accordance with auditing standards generally accept ed Req. No. 62 Page 14 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 in the United States of America and Government Auditing Standards. Copies of any audit, performance audit, agreed -upon-procedures report, or other attestation engagement report produced by a person other than the State Auditor shall be filed with the S tate Auditor and Inspector by that person. The expense of the audit shall be paid by the government entity. For fiscal years endin g after December 31, 1995, all government entities receiving public funds that are included in the reporting entity of the S tate of Oklahoma shall file a copy of the audit required by this paragraph with the Director of the Office of Management and Enterpr ise Services no later than four (4) months after the end of the fiscal year of the government entity. For purposes of this paragraph, the reporting entity of the State of Oklahoma includes all government entities included in the State of Oklahoma Comprehe nsive Annual Financial Report. The government entities included in the State of Oklahoma reporting entity shall be determin ed by the Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services using criteria set by the Governmental Accounting Standards B oard. 2. Any public accountant or certified public accountant filing an audit, performance audit, agreed-upon-procedures report or other attestation engagement report with the State Auditor and Inspector pursuant to this section shall be required to pay a filing fee of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) for the purposes of processing such reports and ensuring compliance with the pr ovisions of this section. Req. No. 62 Page 15 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Such payments shall be deposited in the State Auditor and Inspector Revolving Fund, created pursuant to S ection 227.9 of this titl e. B. All registrants, as defined in the Oklahoma Accountancy A ct, before entering into audit cont racts required under this section, shall satisfy the Oklahoma Accountancy Board and the State Auditor and Inspector that such regist rant meets Government Aud iting Standards and has a current permit to practice issued by t he Oklahoma Accountancy Board. The State Auditor and Inspector shall receive annual reports from the Oklahoma Accountancy Board of all registrants meeting the requirements of this subsection. The Oklahoma Accountancy Board shall provide changes and update s to the annual report to the State Auditor and Inspector upon request. C. Schedules of federal awards expended will be in a form consistent with the guidance in the most recent audit guide f or state and local governments prepared by “The American Institu te of Certified Public Accountants ”. State agencies or other pass -through grantors of federal awards expended will not place reporting requirements on a grantee or su brecipients in addition t o the required federal compliance reports and schedules of feder al awards expended, without approva l of the State Auditor and Inspector. D. All governmental entities shall report grant funds received, administered or used by the e ntity and all grant funds under the direct or indirect control of the governmental entity or any of its Req. No. 62 Page 16 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 employees in their e mployment capacity. A copy of the report shall be filed with the State Auditor and Inspector and the Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Ser vices within four (4) months after the end of the fiscal year of the governmental entity. The State Auditor and Inspector may audit any funds reported. The cost of the audit shall be paid by the governmental entity unless the grant provides for the cost of audits from grant funds. SECTION 3. This act shall become effective No vember 1, 2021. 58-1-62 MR 1/21/2021 4:32:52 PM