Oklahoma 2022 Regular Session

Oklahoma Senate Bill SB895 Latest Draft

Bill / Engrossed Version Filed 03/10/2021

                             
 
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ENGROSSED SENATE 
BILL NO. 895 	By: Rosino of the Senate 
 
  and 
 
  Kannady of the House 
 
 
 
 
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 submission of 
acquisition and contract to State Purchasing Director 
for review; requiring certain notification upon 
decision; relieving State Auditor and Inspector of 
statutory duties upon noti fication; requiring 
agencies utilizing a public audit to submit 
information to Office of Management and Enterprise 
Services and State Auditor and Inspector for 
statewide audit; requiring information to be 
submitted to OMES by certain date; 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 1 87, O.S.L. 2014 (74 O.S. Supp. 2020, 
Section 212), is amended to read as follows: 
Section 212.  A.  STATE TREASURER AND OKLAHOMA TAX COMMISSION   
 
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1. The State Treasurer and the Oklahoma Tax Commission shall 
prepare annual financial statements in accordance with the reporting 
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 requir ements 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 clo se 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 aud it 
reports and related financial statements shall be delivered by the 
State Auditor and Insp ector to the Governor, President Pro Tempore 
of the Senate, and Speaker of the House of Representa tives.  The   
 
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annual audit report and related financial statements o f the State 
Treasurer shall also be delivered to the Attorney General and the 
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 st atements 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 l east once each 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 i ncluded in the 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 agencies 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.,   
 
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Section 7501 et seq.  If the state age ncy is audited only once every 
two (2) fiscal years, the audit sha ll cover both fiscal years. 
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, rev olving, depository, canteen, or 
other nonstate funds. 
3.  State agencies may choose to have the required audit 
performed by a public accountant o r certified public accountant 
registered to do business with this state.  Use of a public 
accountant or certifi ed public accountant shall follow the 
procedures and standards established for government en tities in 
Section 212A of this title . 
4.  The decision to procure the services of a public accountant 
or certified public accountant instead of the State Auditor and 
Inspector shall be at the discretion of the agency di rector.  The 
agency director may request a cost estimate from the State Auditor 
and Inspector to assist him or her in deciding which entity shal l 
perform the audit.  Prior to an agency making an award of a contra ct 
for audit services, the acquisition docum entation and proposed 
contract shall be reviewed and approved by the State Purchasing 
Director.   
 
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5.  The agency director shall notify the State Au ditor and 
Inspector if he or she chooses to have the agency ’s audit performed 
by a public accountant or certifi ed 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. 
7.  If a public accountant or certified public accountant is 
chosen to perform an agenc y audit, state agencies shall still 
provide the information required by the Office of Management and 
Enterprise Services and the State Auditor and Inspector in order to 
prepare and audit the statewide Compreh ensive Annual Financial 
report and the statewide Single Audit. 
8.  Any audit reports that are prepared by a public accountant 
or certified public accountant shall be finalized and submitted to 
the Office of Management and Enterprise Service by October 15 for 
preparation and final review of the Comprehen sive Annual Financial 
Report. 
3. 9.  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 all agencies, boards, 
and commissions included in the primary government in the State of 
Oklahoma Comprehensive Annual Financial Repo rt.  The agencies,   
 
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boards, and commissions included in the primary government of the 
State of Oklahoma shall be determined using criteria set by the 
Governmental Accounting Standards Board. 
4. 10.  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 o n 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 re vised 
edition.  Financial audits must be conduc ted in 
accordance with auditing standards 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, 
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   
 
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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 and 
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 appl icable 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 
that is limited in length 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   
 
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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 t reasurer 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 district 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. 
2.  The State Auditor and Inspector shall exam ine and file a 
report of the accounts establis hed within the office of each 
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 House of   
 
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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 a ny 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 I nspector 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, performance measures, 
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 Insurance and Benefits 
Board. 
H.  DISTRICT ATTORNEY REQUEST   
 
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Whenever called upon to d o 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 of the officers or custodians o f 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 
as-needed basis only, legal counsel to carry out the statutory 
duties of the Office of the State Auditor and Ins pector. 
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 th e power to order all excessive or   
 
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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 Presi dent 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 registered in the 
subdivision and meeting the requirements set out in this subsect ion. 
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 total number of persons 
voting in the last general election.  If the subdivisio n is a public 
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 the number of signatures so req uired 
upon request. 
3.  The petition shall be i n 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   
 
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citizen of the entity 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 anticipated 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 
obtain the requisite numb er of signatures and return 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 elect ion board located in the county in 
which the subdivision is located.   
 
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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 pet ition 
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 failing to have the required 
number of signatures and return it to the State Aud itor 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, certified by the county election boa rd 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 specif ically 
appropriated or allocated.  Payment for the audit from such 
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 shall be 
confidential and neith er 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   
 
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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 su ch 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 define d 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 accepted 
in the United States of America and Government Auditing Standards.  
Copies of any audit, performance audit, agree d-upon-procedures 
report, or other attestation engagement report produced by a person 
other than the State Auditor shall be filed with the State Auditor 
and Inspector by that person.  The expense of the audit shall be 
paid by the government entity.  For fi scal years ending after 
December 31, 1995, all government entities receiving public funds 
that are included in the reporting entity of the State of Oklahoma   
 
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shall file a copy of the audit required by this para graph with the 
Director of the Office of Manage ment and Enterprise 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 O klahoma Comprehensive Annual Financial 
Report.  The government entities included in the State of Oklahoma 
reporting entity shall be determined by the Director of the Office 
of Management and Enterprise Service s using criteria set by the 
Governmental Accounting Standards Board. 
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 an d Inspector 
pursuant to this section shall be r equired to pay a filing fee of 
One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) for the purposes of processing such 
reports and ensuring compliance with the provisions of this section. 
Such payments shall be deposited in the St ate Auditor and Inspector 
Revolving Fund, creat ed pursuant to Section 227.9 of this titl e. 
B.  All registrants, as defined in the Oklahoma Accountancy A ct, 
before entering into audit contracts required under this section, 
shall satisfy the Oklahoma Account ancy Board and the State Auditor 
and Inspector that such registrant meets Government Aud iting 
Standards and has a current permit to practice issued by t he 
Oklahoma Accountancy Board.   
 
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The State Auditor and Inspecto r shall receive annual reports 
from the Oklahoma Accountancy Board of all registrants meet ing 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 upo n 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 ex pended will not place reporting 
requirements on a grantee or subrecipients in addition t o the 
required federal compliance reports and schedules of feder al awards 
expended, without approval of the State Auditor and Inspector. 
D.  All governmental entities s hall report grant funds received, 
administered or used by the entity and all grant funds under the 
direct or indirect control of the governmental entity or any of its 
employees in their employment capacity.  A cop y of the report shall 
be filed with the Sta te 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 ma y audit any funds reported.  The 
cost of the audit shall be paid by the governmental entit y unless 
the grant provides for the cost of audits from grant funds. 
SECTION 3.  This act shall become effective November 1, 2021.   
 
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Passed the Senate the 9th day of March, 2021. 
 
 
  
 	Presiding Officer of the Senate 
 
 
Passed the House of Repr esentatives the ____ day of __________, 
2021. 
 
 
  
 	Presiding Officer of the House 
 	of Representatives