Legislature(2019 - 2020)ADAMS ROOM 519
04/12/2019 05:45 PM Senate LEGISLATIVE BUDGET & AUDIT
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Approval of Minutes | |
| Executive Session | |
| Other Committee Business | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
LEGISLATIVE BUDGET AND AUDIT COMMITTEE
April 12, 2019
5:46 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Chris Tuck, Chair
Representative Neal Foster
Representative Andy Josephson
Representative Ivy Spohnholz
Senator Click Bishop, Vice Chair
Senator Bert Stedman
Senator Cathy Giessel
Senator Peter Micciche (alternate)
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Natasha von Imhof
Senator Lyman Hoffman
Representative Mark Neuman
Representative Jennifer Johnston (alternate)
OTHER LEGISLATORS PRESENT
Representative Bryce Edgmon
Representative DeLena Johnson
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
EXECUTIVE SESSION
OTHER COMMITTEE BUSINESS
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
KRIS CURTIS
Legislative Auditor
Legislative Audit Division
Legislative Agencies and Offices
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Requested a change to staff pay in her
division.
ACTION NARRATIVE
5:46:28 PM
CHAIR CHRIS TUCK called the Legislative Budget and Audit
Committee meeting to order at 5:46 p.m. Representatives Tuck,
Spohnholz, Foster, and Josephson and Senators Bishop, Giessel,
Stedman, and Micciche (alternate) were present at the call to
order. Also present were Representatives Edgmon and Johnson.
^Approval of Minutes
Approval of Minutes
5:47:10 PM
CHAIR TUCK announced that the first order of business would be
approval of the minutes.
5:47:15 PM
SENATOR BISHOP made a motion to approve the minutes of the
Legislative Budget and Audit Committee of March 7, 2019. There
being no objection, the minutes from the meeting of March 7,
2019 were approved.
^Executive Session
Executive Session
5:47:34 PM
CHAIR TUCK announced that the next of business would be to move
into Executive Session.
5:48:24 PM
SENATOR BISHOP made a motion to move to executive session under
Uniform Rule 22 of the Alaska Legislature for the purposes of
discussing confidential audit reports under AS 24.20.301 and
personnel matters associated with the audit process. There
being no objection, the committee went into Executive Session at
5:49 p.m.
5:49:12 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 5:49 p.m. to 6:59 p.m.
6:59:44 PM
CHAIR TUCK brought the committee back to order at 6:59 p.m.
^Other Committee Business
Other Committee Business
6:59:51 PM
SENATOR BISHOP made a motion for the preliminary audits for the
FY 18 Statewide Single Audit to be released to the appropriate
agencies for response. There being no objection, the
preliminary audit was released.
7:00:19 PM
CHAIR TUCK announced that the final order of business would be a
request for additional audit resources for the Legislative Audit
Division and for the audit staff to move to a 40-hour work week.
7:00:34 PM
KRIS CURTIS, Legislative Auditor, Legislative Audit Division,
Legislative Agencies and Offices, explained that the workload of
the Legislative Audit Division had increased dramatically over
the last ten years, and that, in order to cope with this
increase and meet the statutory and federal audit deadlines, she
asked the committee to approve a move to a 40-hour work week for
supervising auditors. She stated that the supervising auditors
encompassed 25 budgeted positions which included senior
auditors, in-charge auditors, audit managers, the Deputy
Legislative Auditor, and the Legislative Auditor. She estimated
that this would increase the division budget for FY20 about
$180,000. She asked for the support of the Legislative Budget
and Audit Committee. She added that there were not any required
changes to statute and that she could adjust the auditor pay
using the existing grid in statute for exempt employees. She
pointed out that, as the supervisory union had moved to a 40-
hour work week in FY19, this would allow for more
competitiveness with positions offered by the supervising
accountants as well as to better cope with the workload.
7:01:48 PM
SENATOR BISHOP moved that the Legislative Budget and Audit
Committee authorize a 40-hour work week for the Division of
Legislative Audit supervising auditors, including senior
auditors, in-charge auditors, audit managers, and the
Legislative Auditor with [commensurate] increases to
compensation.
7:02:13 PM
CHAIR TUCK objected for discussion.
SENATOR STEDMAN offered his belief that it was a good idea and
he looked forward to keeping the audit department healthy.
7:02:44 PM
SENATOR MICCICHE stated his support for the change, as "it's
clear that the workload has been increased dramatically over the
last several years." He asked about the overall cost increase
for this change.
MS. CURTIS replied that it was estimated to be an increase of
$180,000.
7:03:14 PM
SENATOR BISHOP expressed his support that the change would
increase morale and decrease turnover in the division.
CHAIR TUCK acknowledged that the division worked hard and "they
put a lot of hours in." He stated that this would offer an
opportunity to be compensated for this work.
7:03:39 PM
CHAIR TUCK removed his objection. There being no further
objection, the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee authorized
a 40-hour work week for the Division of Legislative Audit
supervising auditors, including senior auditors, in-charge
auditors, audit managers, and the Legislative Auditor with
commensurate increases to compensation.
7:04:06 PM
MS. CURTIS, in response to Senator Micciche, explained that the
Legislative Audit Division served as "the legislature's eyes and
ears out there in the executive branch. We are looking and
we've test[ed] every year for compliance with state laws and I
believe we really do serve as the state's main internal control,
to help ensure that the state's financial records are complete
and accurate, and the financial activities conducted in
accordance with law." She declared that this was a very
important function, adding that the mission of the division was
to help improve governmental operations.
7:05:16 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the
Legislative Budget and Audit Committee meeting was adjourned at
7:05 p.m.
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