Benchmarks

June 2022

(3) Serve as a staff agency to the general assembly, or to any of its committees, in making investigations of any phase of the state's finances;

(4) Make annually an audit of all the records of the several counties of the state, including the offices of county trustees, circuit court clerks, criminal court clerks, county clerks, and clerks and masters of chancery courts, and all county mayors and judges of the courts of general sessions, specifically including the accounts of all "trust funds" in the hands of clerks and masters, or county clerks, or both, and any other county official, whether elected or appointed;

(A) In lieu of the audit required under the provisions of this subdivision (4), the department may accept an audit made by an independent certified public accountant, employed at the expense of the county, if the audit made by such independent certified public accountant . . . meets the minimum standards for county auditing established by the comptroller of the treasury, and approved by the governor;

(B) The audit shall be made annually and copies of the audit furnished to the comptroller of the treasury;

(C) Any county having an audit made by an independent certified public accountant . . . under the conditions prescribed in this subdivision (4) shall be relieved of paying to the state the fee required by § 9-3-210;

(D) Beginning July 1, 1974, the department shall prepare the audit required under the provisions of this subdivision (4) in each county of this state at least once in every five-year period, and shall not accept an audit prepared by a certified public accountant . . . in lieu of a state audit for more than four (4) years in every five-year period beginning July 1, 1974, or may, in such manner as the comptroller of the treasury may determine, participate with or monitor the audit with the independent certified public accountant . . . ;

(5) Devise a modern, effective and uniform system of bookkeeping and accounting, subject to the approval of the governor, comprehending:

(A) An efficient system of checks and balances between the officers at the seat of government entrusted with the collections and receipts, custody and disbursement of the revenues of the state; and

(B) A system of bookkeeping and accounting, for the use of all county officials and agencies handling the revenues of the state or of any political subdivision thereof; provided, that the comptroller of the treasury and the governor may approve any existing system;

(6) Perform economy and efficiency audits, program results audits and program evaluations. Any or all of the elements of an audit may be performed, including

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