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House substitute clarifies agency responsibility for responding to legislative audits
Summary
The committee favorably recommended third substitute House Bill 215, clarifying the role of agency chief officers in responding to Office of the Legislative Auditor General audits and establishing a clearer chain of accountability.
Representative General Burton, sponsor of House Bill 215, told the committee Feb. 20 the measure clarifies who is responsible for ensuring audited agencies produce “get well” plans and respond to audit findings. Burton said the change followed work with the Utah State Board of Education and the governor’s chief counsel to define what a chief officer must do to create accountability after an audit.
Burton recounted an example in which an agency reported an audit finding unchanged eight years after the audit — a lapse he said exposed a “broken chain of authority.” The bill, he said, designates the chief officer above the audited unit to be involved in ensuring corrective action or communicating constraints to the legislature, such as insufficient funding to implement recommended changes.
Committee members had few substantive questions and some praise for the collaborative drafting with affected agencies. Representative Burton said the highlighted provisions appear between lines 7 and 21 of the substitute. The committee voted unanimously to recommend the third substitute favorably.
The bill focuses on government accountability and audit follow‑up rather than creating new enforcement sanctions; sponsors said the measure is intended to strengthen communication between audited entities, chief officers and the legislature.
