Overview
- The House scheduled a vote on H 5469 on Wednesday to sharply limit the reach of the State Auditor’s legislatively authorized audit.
- The bill confines audits to four narrow 'administrative functions' and bars any lookback earlier than fiscal year 2021.
- Instead of applying the state public records law to lawmakers, the measure creates a separate 'legislative records' system that lists 17 document categories for public access.
- The proposal funds implementation with $1 million, requires each chamber to name a Legislative Records Access Officer, and applies the public records law to the governor only for records dated on or after Jan. 7, 2027.
- State Auditor Diana DiZoglio condemned the bill as negating the 2024 vote, the Senate has already turned over limited financial records, and legal and political fights are likely to follow because the bill removes court authority to compel records.