Amends the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act. Provides that a local government may submit a request to the Grant Accountability and Transparency Unit to be exempt from certain audit requirements if the local government is unable to meet the audit requirements due to circumstances beyond the local government's control, including, but not limited to, a natural disaster in which financial records of the local government are destroyed or alleged employee misconduct involving the destruction or withholding of financial records. Effective immediately.
House Amendment 1:
Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill. Provides that the 3-member panel referenced in the introduced bill shall be a 5-member panel. Provides that members of the panel shall be appointed by the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Senate Minority Leader, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the House Minority Leader. Provides that members of the panel shall serve for 4-year terms, except that members initially appointed shall have staggered terms. Provides that each member of the panel must have auditing or accounting experience. Provides that the Governor's Office of Management and Budget shall provide administrative support to the panel. Provides that members of the panel shall serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for reasonable travel expenses associated with their service on the panel. Provides that, if a majority of the members of the panel who are voting on the issue vote to approve the local government's request, then the request shall be approved; otherwise, the request shall be denied. Effective immediately.