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House passes Interlocal Act amendments after auditor concerns about interlocal oversight
Summary
House Bill 17 clarifies which state laws and fiscal procedures apply to interlocal agencies, requires open meetings compliance, and sets a delayed effective date so further drafting can occur; sponsors cited legislative audits and the state auditor in arguing the measure is needed.
The Utah House voted to pass House Bill 17 on Feb. 20, a bill intended to tighten oversight and clarify legal obligations for interlocal agencies that deliver services jointly for cities, counties and other local entities.
Sponsor Representative Anderson said legislative audits and an opinion from the attorney general have exposed long-standing confusion about which laws apply to interlocal entities. HB17 requires that interlocal agencies comply with state laws that govern their member entities for activities those state laws cover, and explicitly states that interlocal entities must follow the Open and Public Meetings Act. Representative Anderson said the change responds to legislative-auditor findings that some interlocal bodies had assumed they were exempt from fiscal procedures and open-meetings requirements.
The bill includes a delayed effective date of May 2015, Anderson said, to allow time for further drafting and potential development of a tailored fiscal procedures act for interlocals. The sponsor distributed audit excerpts and a letter from the state auditor to support the change. Several members asked whether the language reflected negotiation with interlocal agencies; Anderson said the language was intended to reassure local officials but did not represent unanimous consent from all interlocal entities.
HB17 passed the House by recorded vote (69-0 with 6 absent) and will be transmitted to the Senate for its consideration.
