(a) As used in this section:

(1) “Annual report” means the report required under subsection (a) of section 32-1m;

(2) “Incentive programs” means every business assistance or incentive program, including any business tax credit or abatement program, grant, loan, forgivable loan or other form of assistance, enacted for the purpose of improving economic development; and

(3) “Performance audit” means an examination of performance that provides findings or conclusions to determine effectiveness in achieving expressed legislative purposes.

(b) As part of each audit the Auditors of Public Accounts perform of the Department of Economic and Community Development or as a stand-alone audit, said auditors shall conduct a performance audit of incentive programs, in such order and frequency as said auditors deem necessary. Said auditors shall conduct any such performance audit in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards or by another method said auditors deem appropriate.

(c) As part of each audit the Auditors of Public Accounts perform of the Department of Economic and Community Development, said auditors shall evaluate the annual reports submitted by the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development since the last audit performed of the department by said auditors and the analyses required under subdivisions (3) and (5) of subsection (a) of section 32-1m and included in such annual reports. Such evaluation shall include, but need not be limited to:

(1) A determination of whether evidence is available to support the accuracy of the data presented in such annual reports;

(2) An evaluation of management practices and operations with respect to the ease or difficulty for taxpayers to comply with the requirements of the incentive programs;

(3) Recommendations for improving the administrative efficiency or effectiveness of the incentive programs; and

(4) An evaluation of whether such annual reports satisfy the reporting requirements under subsection (a) of section 32-1m.

(d) (1) The Auditors of Public Accounts shall submit a report, in accordance with section 11-4a, of the performance audit and evaluation required, pursuant to subsections (b) and (c) of this section, as part of each audit said auditors perform of the Department of Economic and Community Development, to the Governor, the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management and the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to appropriations and the budgets of state agencies, finance, revenue and bonding and commerce. Such report may be submitted as part of the audit report of the Department of Economic and Community Development that said auditors issue pursuant to section 2-90.

(2) The Auditors of Public Accounts shall submit a report, in accordance with section 11-4a, of any stand-alone performance audit conducted pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, to the Governor, the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management and the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to appropriations and the budgets of state agencies, finance, revenue and bonding and commerce.

(e) Said committees shall hold, individually or jointly, one or more public hearings on a report submitted pursuant to subsection (d) of this section.

(P.A. 17-219, S. 5; 17-226, S. 2.)

History: P.A. 17-219 effective July 11, 2017; P.A. 17-226 restated provisions of Sec. 5 of P.A. 17-219, effective July 11, 2017.