Press Release  Auditor Bump Provides Testimony in Support of Accountability Agenda

Boston — State Auditor Suzanne M. Bump testified today before the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight in support of two bills part of her agency’s “Accountability Agenda,” which would strengthen the Auditor’s Office’s oversight of state agencies and improve internal controls within state agencies. The two bills, An Act Improving Government Accountability and An Act Improving the Internal Controls within State Agencies, seek to make state government more effective, efficient, and accountable.

“These bills reflect lessons I have learned during my 11 years as State Auditor,” Bump said in her testimony. “Modern. Effective. Accountable. These are standards by which our auditors evaluate the activities of government agencies and contractors, and it is in these areas that these bills will help the Office of the State Auditor better meet our mission and in the shorter term, better oversee the performance of state agencies and spending of the billions of dollars of COVID-related federal relief. My pursuit of these measures today is in the spirit of making government work better now and in the years to come.”

During her testimony, Bump stressed the urgency for passage of these bills, particularly for An Act improving Government Accountability, which would give the Auditor’s Office the necessary authority to hold state agencies and departments more accountable as they allocate federal COVID-19 relief funding, including the CARES Act and the American Rescue Plan (ARPA).

“Since the pandemic took hold, we have seen a historic amount of funding from the federal government flow to Massachusetts. Congress passed numerous rounds of relief, including the CARES Act and the American Rescue Plan to directly support state governments in their response and ongoing recovery. The ability to oversee spending of these funds is critical,” Bump said in her testimony. “Our bill, An Act Improving Government Accountability, would give our office the necessary leverage and authority as we carry out this important work.”

Bump pointed out that timely access to data and information for audits is one of the most significant challenges her office faces. She highlighted that this bill will require state agencies to provide the relevant information and data needed to complete her office’s audit objectives, in its native format, within ten business days—the same standard set by the state’s public records law. The bill will also allow her to require state agencies to develop corrective action plans to address issues identified by her audits. These plans would then be submitted to the State Auditor’s Office, the Governor’s office, and the Legislature. She also noted that the measure will make her office’s enabling statute gender neutral.

Additionally, Bump provided testimony for An Act Improving the Internal Controls within State Agencies, which will make changes to the state’s internal control law. Currently, state agencies must report lost, stolen, or damaged state property or funds to the State Auditor’s Office. The measure will allow the State Comptroller to promulgate regulations regarding this reporting process, including the creation of a reporting threshold. It will also extend this reporting requirement to independent state authorities. Finally, the bill will require the Comptroller to establish a training program for state agencies to assist them in developing and implementing required internal controls and reporting policies. This legislation is also being supported by the Comptroller of the Commonwealth, William McNamara.

Bump's full testimony is available here.

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