Legislative auditors report audit delays and uncorrected findings, flag gaps in foster-care and travel controls

April Renfro, director of legislative audits at the Legislative Services Office, told the Joint Finance and Appropriation Committee on Jan. 7 that the office is seeing both timing delays in statewide financial reporting and a set of uncorrected audit findings that warrant legislative attention.

Renfro said the office is required to audit the State’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) and single‑audit filings and to publish an annual report of uncorrected findings. She told the committee the audit shop currently staffs about 30 financial and IT auditors and that it plans roughly 28 reports per year, including about 21 accountability reports that examine agency internal controls.

The auditors are behind this year after late receipt of agency financial statements tied to the state’s new accounting system (referred to in the hearing as LUMA). “We didn't receive them until December 30,” Renfro said, and the office now estimates completion of the ACFR audit around March. She warned the delay will likely push the single audit past the March 31 deadline and said her office plans to contact federal grantors, including the federal agency that serves as the state’s cognizant reviewer, to explain the schedule.

Why it matters: timely financial statements and single audits are used by credit…