Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Legislative Audit topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate approves change to legislative-audit scope after debate
Summary
On Feb. 2, 2000, the Utah Senate passed House Bill 175, shifting the legislative auditor's emphasis from counting outputs to assessing program impact — especially for child welfare — after floor debate about precedent and oversight. Vote: 27–2.
The Utah Senate voted 27–2 on Feb. 2, 2000, to pass House Bill 175, a measure that clarifies and changes the legislative auditor’s role to emphasize program impact rather than simply tallying numbers.
Senator Hilliard, sponsor of the action to uncircle and advance the bill, told the chamber that the change stems from work with legislative auditors and from a desire to focus reviews on outcomes affecting children and families. “We’ve gone away from the emphasis on counting numbers to being more concerned about the impact that it has on children and on families,” Hilliard said on the floor.
The bill grew out of prior oversight tied to litigation, Hilliard said; while the statute had required internal division audits, lawmakers sought an independent audit with a different emphasis. Members queried whether the measure set a new precedent for directing the legislative auditor. Senator Steele, who had raised substantive questions about the bill’s scope, said floor discussions with auditors and staff addressed his concerns and that changes suggested by auditors had been considered. “I so much appreciate Senator Hilliard’s willingness to give me an opportunity to talk with him and then our audit team and Wayne and his staff to look at [the recommendations],” Steele said.
During floor debate some senators warned against legislatively prescribing auditors’ work and noted procedural options such as using the audit committee to request work. Hilliard and other supporters said the change had been driven by the auditors themselves and by a need created by court-monitored settlements involving child welfare programs.
The Senate recorded a roll-call result of 27 aye votes and 2 nay votes. The president directed that the bill be signed in open session and returned to the House for final signatures, filing and enrolling.
What’s next: House Bill 175 will be returned to the House for final enrollment; no implementation date beyond standard enactment procedures was specified on the floor.
