HB 24-1462 Summary

• State Auditor must engage a third-party consultant by October 1, 2024, to evaluate the Department of Corrections' budget practices in partnership with the department.

• Evaluation must examine personnel costs, contract staff spending, staff vacancies' impact on programming, inmate pay changes since July 1, 2014, housing and cash assistance growth, caseload-driven operational costs, user fees, and associated cash funds.

• Third-party consultant must provide preliminary findings and recommendations to the Department of Corrections, Joint Budget Committee, and Legislative Audit Committee by March 1, 2025.

• Final findings and recommendations must be reported by June 30, 2025.

• $400,000 appropriated to the Office of the State Auditor from the general fund for the 2024-25 fiscal year to implement the audit.