HB 24-1462

House Bill 24-1462 requires the state auditor to hire an independent third party by October 1, 2024, to review how the Department of Corrections manages its budget. This includes looking at costs related to staff, contracts, operations, and fees. The third-party audit will provide updates in March 2025 and a final report by June 30, 2025, which will be shared with relevant committees and the department itself. The bill has been signed into law and is now effective, meaning the Department of Corrections must start preparing for this external review soon.

Official Summary

The act requires the state auditor to engage, by October 1, 2024, a third party to conduct an evaluation of the department of corrections' (department) budget practices. The third party is required to provide an update to the joint budget committee and the legislative audit committee by March 1, 2025 and to release a final report to the department, joint budget committee, and legislative audit committee by June 30, 2025. The evaluation must review the department's personnel-related costs, contract staff spending, operational costs driven by caseload, user fees levied, and the cash funds associated with the department. For state fiscal year 2024-25, the act appropriates $400,000 from the general fund to the legislative department for use by the office of the state auditor to implement the act. APPROVED by Governor June 3, 2024 EFFECTIVE June 3, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Votes