HB36 Alabama 2015 2nd Special Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Mac McCutcheon

Republican

Session

Second Special Session 2015

Title

Joint Legislative Committee on Government Oversight and Accountability, created, membership, powers and duties, Sec. 41-19-10 am'd.

Summary

HB36 would create a permanent Joint Legislative Committee on Taxpayer Accountability to review state spending, oversee budgets, and oversee expenditures with reporting and audit authority.

What This Bill Does

It establishes a standing committee with power to review expenditures and budget requests, hold public hearings, and issue reports to the Legislature. It can direct the Chief Examiner of Public Accounts to audit or examine state agencies or programs. It requires notice to the committee before the Department of Finance can modify or withhold planned expenditures and restricts certain interagency agreements unless the Governor also notifies the committee.

Who It Affects

• State agencies and other entities that receive appropriation from the Legislature: must cooperate, provide documents, and may be subject to committee reviews and audits.
• Department of Finance: must notify the Joint Legislative Committee on Taxpayer Accountability before altering planned expenditures and must operate within the oversight framework established by the bill.
• Governor: must receive notice in certain interagency agreement scenarios for them to be valid under the bill.
• The Legislature and the public: gain oversight through monthly meetings and annual public hearing, plus potential audits and reports, affecting how taxpayer funds are tracked and reported.

Key Provisions

• Creates the permanent Joint Legislative Committee on Taxpayer Accountability, with specified Senate and House leadership and four members from each chamber, plus diversity requirements.
• Authorizes the committee to review and analyze state expenditures and budget proposals, and to hold public hearings and issue recommendations to the Legislature.
• Empowers the committee to direct the Chief Examiner of Public Accounts to conduct audits or examinations of state agencies or programs when needed.
• Requires the Department of Finance to provide notice to the committee before modifying or withholding planned expenditures; limits certain changes without committee input.
• Prohibits interagency agreements from creating policy changes unless the Governor provides notice to the committee; requires notice to the committee for interagency agreements.
• Establishes monthly meeting requirements, co-chair leadership structure, and majority approvals by both the House and Senate members of the committee.
• Amends Section 41-19-10 to codify oversight of operations plans, expenditure modifications, salary or personnel changes, and interagency transfers with committee involvement and reporting.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Legislature