The Florida Senate

There is hereby created the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability as a unit of the Office of the Auditor General appointed pursuant to s. 11.42. The office shall perform independent examinations, program reviews, and other projects as provided by general law, as provided by concurrent resolution, or as directed by the Legislative Auditing Committee, and shall provide recommendations, training, or other services to assist the Legislature.

The Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability is independent of the Auditor General appointed pursuant to s. 11.42 for purposes of general policies established by the Legislative Auditing Committee.

The Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability shall maintain a schedule of examinations of state programs.

The Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability is authorized to examine all entities and records listed in s. 11.45(3).

At the conclusion of an examination, the designated representative of the director of the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability shall discuss the examination with the official whose office is examined and submit to that official the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability’s preliminary findings. If the official is not available for receipt of the preliminary findings, clearly designated as such, delivery thereof is presumed to be made when it is delivered to his or her office. Whenever necessary, the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability may request the official to submit his or her written statement of explanation or rebuttal within 15 days after the receipt of the findings. If the response time is not requested to be within 15 days, the official shall submit his or her response within 30 days after receipt of the preliminary findings.

No later than 18 months after the release of a report of the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, the agencies that are the subject of that report shall provide data and other information that describes with specificity what the agencies have done to respond to the recommendations contained in the report. The Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability may verify the data and information provided by the agencies. If the data and information provided by the agencies are deemed sufficient and accurate, the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability shall report to the Legislative Auditing Committee and to the legislative standing committees concerned with the subject areas of the audit. The report shall include a summary of the agencies’ responses, the evaluation of those responses, and any recommendations deemed to be appropriate.