HB257 Alabama 2015 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

John F. Knight Jr

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2015

Title

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

Summary

HB257 would create a permanent Joint Legislative Committee on Government Oversight and Accountability to continuously oversee state government operations and hold agencies accountable.

What This Bill Does

It creates a permanent oversight committee with specified lawmakers as members and co-chairs who rotate leadership. The committee can review how state agencies spend money, investigate whether funds are used for their intended programs, and evaluate the efficiency of operations. It can order audits, hold public hearings, and issue recommendations to agencies; the Department of Finance can modify or withhold expenditures with committee approval, and interagency agreements require notice to the committee to prevent policy changes without oversight.

Who It Affects

• State agencies, departments, boards, commissions, authorities, or other entities that receive funding from the Legislature; they must cooperate and provide documents or information requested by the committee.
• Governor and Department of Finance; the Governor must be given 30 days' notice before interagency agreements are made and interagency agreements cannot be used for policy changes without notice, while the Department of Finance may modify or withhold expenditures with the committee's advice and consent.

Key Provisions

• Creates a permanent Joint Legislative Committee on Government Oversight and Accountability with defined House and Senate membership, including four Senate members and four House members appointed by leadership, plus chairs from key committees; co-chairs alternate every two years.
• The committee has broad powers to oversee all state government operations, review expenditures, evaluate efficiency, ensure laws are carried out as intended, and report findings to Senate and House leadership.
• The committee may direct audits through the Chief Examiner of Public Accounts and hold public hearings on matters it deems necessary.
• State agencies and related entities must cooperate and provide documents when requested; staff support is provided by legislative officers and related institutes as needed.
• Section 41-19-10 is amended to let the Department of Finance modify or withhold planned expenditures with committee consent, and to require the Governor to provide 30 days’ notice before interagency agreements or policy-changing actions.
• The act becomes effective immediately upon governor’s approval.

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