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Committee considers bill to track implementation of Legislative Auditor recommendations
Summary
Senate File 263 would require the Management and Budget Office and the Office of Legislative Auditor to report on implementation status of OLA recommendations; OLA testified it needs two FTEs (estimated $238,000 first year, $259,000 ongoing) to verify agency follow‑through.
Senate File 263, presented by Senator Rasmussen, would strengthen legislative oversight by having the Management and Budget Office (MMB) and the Office of Legislative Auditor (OLA) compile and report which OLA recommendations have been implemented over the prior five years. The intent is to give committee chairs and ranking members better visibility ahead of budget hearings.
Legislative Auditor Judy Randall said the OLA already produces recommendation lists but lacks the staff to verify implementation; she described the office’s current approach as “trust but verify” and said the bill would allow OLA to follow up and confirm agencies’ self‑attestations. The fiscal analyst reported an estimated cost to the OLA of $238,000 in year one and $259,000 ongoing to fund two staff positions, plus $41,000 annually to MMB for fractional FTE support.
Senators discussed whether the bill creates new reporting or simply repackages existing information. Randall said the bill would permit the OLA to do additional verification work, not merely recompile existing data. Committee members asked about how this reporting would improve prevention of fraud; Senator Rasmussen said the intent is to provide legislators the information needed to press agencies to implement recommendations and to use budget tools to encourage follow‑through.
The committee adopted an author's A2 amendment and laid Senate File 263 over for possible inclusion and further work on scope and funding.
