DOPL budget hearing: auditors flag board cash balances, agency seeks pay increases for trades inspectors and vehicle replacements

The Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses told the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on Feb. 6 that it is working to address longstanding audit findings about excessive cash balances in several board funds, while also seeking targeted pay and one-time vehicle-replacement funding.

Audit findings and cash balances: April Renfro of the Legislative Audit Office summarized recent audits and said DOPL’s primary remaining open finding concerns board cash balances. The audit uses a reasonableness range — roughly 30% to 125% of annual expenditures based on a five‑year rolling average — to flag boards with balances that appear too high or too low. Renfro said DOPL has been providing reports and plans to legislative auditors to reduce excess balances and that fee changes or fee holidays are the primary tools to adjust reserves. "That report and the agency's plan most recently from…