Bill Text: GA HB1235 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Comm Sub

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Bill Title: Augusta-Richmond County Transparency in Government Act; enact

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-03-19 - House Lost Reconsidered Bill/Res [HB1235 Detail]

Download: Georgia-2011-HB1235-Comm_Sub.html

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12 LC 28 6236S

The House Committee on Intragovernmental Coordination - Local Legislation offers the following substitute to HB 1235:

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT

To amend an Act providing for the consolidated government of Augusta-Richmond County, approved March 27, 1995 (Ga. L. 1995, p. 3648), as amended, so as to provide that certain departments, agencies, and authorities of the consolidated government and certain private entities which contract with the consolidated government for the provision of government services shall have periodic forensic accounting audits; to provide for sanctions for failure to do so; to provide a short title; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

SECTION 1.

This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Augusta-Richmond County Transparency in Government Act."

SECTION 2.

An Act providing for the consolidated government of Augusta-Richmond County, approved March 27, 1995 (Ga. L. 1995, p. 3648), as amended, is amended by adding a new section to read as follows:

"SECTION 10A.

(a) Each department, agency, and authority of the consolidated government and any private entity which has contracted with the consolidated government for the provision of government services on behalf of the consolidated government that is responsible for $500,000.00 or more in public funds or revenues annually shall have a forensic accounting audit at least every four years. Such audit shall be performed by an independent accounting firm that is not associated in any way with the consolidated government. The report of such audit shall be made available to the commission and to the public upon its completion.

(b) It shall be the duty of the commission to ensure that all affected departments, agencies, authorities, and private entities subject to the provisions of this section have a forensic accounting audit at least once every four years.

(c) The failure by the head of a department or agency or the board of an authority to have a forensic accounting audit performed for such department, agency, or authority at least once every four years as provided in this section shall be grounds for termination or removal. The failure by a private entity that has contracted with the consolidated government for the provision of government services on behalf of the consolidated government to have a forensic accounting audit performed for such entity at least once every four years as provided in this section with regard to such contracted services shall be grounds for termination of the contract and for being deemed ineligible for further contracts with the consolidated government."

SECTION 2.

All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.