Florida Senate - 2021                                     SB 414
       
       
        
       By Senator Perry
       
       
       
       
       
       8-00049-21                                             2021414__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to economic self-sufficiency; amending
    3         s. 11.45, F.S.; requiring the Auditor General to
    4         perform audits of specified programs at specified
    5         intervals beginning in a specified calendar year;
    6         requiring the audits to review specified elements of
    7         such programs; requiring the Auditor General to make a
    8         specified determination, if possible; providing
    9         reporting requirements for the results of such audits;
   10         providing an effective date.
   11          
   12  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   13  
   14         Section 1. Paragraph (n) is added to subsection (2) of
   15  section 11.45, Florida Statutes, to read:
   16         11.45 Definitions; duties; authorities; reports; rules.—
   17         (2) DUTIES.—The Auditor General shall:
   18         (n) Beginning during the 2021 calendar year, and at least
   19  every 3 years thereafter, conduct performance audits of the
   20  Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program established under 7
   21  U.S.C. ss. 2011 et seq., the Temporary Cash Assistance Program
   22  as provided under s. 414.095, the Medicaid program designated in
   23  s. 409.963, the school readiness program set forth in part VI of
   24  chapter 1002, and the Housing Choice Voucher Program established
   25  under 42 U.S.C. s. 1437f. Such audits must include a review of
   26  eligibility criteria; the manner by which each program
   27  establishes and documents eligibility and disbursement policies;
   28  the frequency of eligibility determinations; the clarity of both
   29  written and verbal communication in which eligibility
   30  requirements are conveyed to current and potential program
   31  recipients; opportunities for improving service efficiency and
   32  efficacy made possible by improved integration of state data
   33  system platforms, processes, and procedures related to data
   34  collection, analysis, documentation, and interagency sharing;
   35  and the number and size of families receiving multiple program
   36  services compared to all eligible families, including whether
   37  they are single-parent or two-parent households. If possible,
   38  the Auditor General also shall determine the number of families
   39  receiving services who are claiming the Earned Income Tax
   40  Credit. The Auditor General shall provide the results of the
   41  audits in a report to the Governor, the President of the Senate,
   42  the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Chief Financial
   43  Officer, and the Legislative Auditing Committee within 30 days
   44  after completion of the audits, but no later than December 31,
   45  2021, and every 3 years thereafter.
   46  
   47  The Auditor General shall perform his or her duties
   48  independently but under the general policies established by the
   49  Legislative Auditing Committee. This subsection does not limit
   50  the Auditor General’s discretionary authority to conduct other
   51  audits or engagements of governmental entities as authorized in
   52  subsection (3).
   53         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2021.