HB29 Summary

• Creates Department of Examiners of Public Accounts governed by Chapter 5A of Title 41, repealing the existing Chapter 5.

• Chief examiner must be a licensed certified public accountant appointed by Legislative Committee on Public Accounts for a five-year term and subject to Senate confirmation.

• Chief examiner can be removed by joint resolution of the Legislature for willful neglect of duty, corruption, incompetence, intemperance, or moral turpitude; automatic removal results from holding other political office or serving on political party committees.

• Establishes recovery audit program allowing contracting with private auditors to identify overpayments, with contractor compensation capped at 15 percent of recovered amounts and recovered funds deposited in special state treasury fund.

• Revises Legislative Committee on Public Accounts composition to 12 members with President Pro Tempore of Senate and Speaker of House as chair and vice-chair, alternating every two years beginning January 1, 2020; effective October 1, 2018.