Legislative auditors say most uncorrected findings are recent; LUMA data delay slows statewide audits

April Renfro, legislative auditor with the Legislative Services Office, told the Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee on Jan. 7 that the office is continuing to issue accountability and financial-audit findings to state agencies and is reporting annually on those that remain uncorrected.

"Seventy percent of our uncorrected findings are from the current reporting period," Renfro said, adding that the office’s annual report on uncorrected findings will be distributed to committee members the same day.

The audit office, she said, performs a range of work that includes the annual audit of the Statewide Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR), the single-audit of federal awards, and periodic accountability reports of state agencies. The office has roughly 30 financial and IT auditors and one administrative assistant, and it plans about 28 reports a year that typically cover 11 to 15 agencies for the ACFR work, Renfro said.

Why some findings remain open

Renfro described several reasons findings can remain open for more than one follow-up cycle: limited opportunities to test (some reports are produced once or twice a year), complex corrective actions that require legislation or…