Virginia Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission

Virginia Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission
Name	Virginia Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission
Jurisdiction	Commonwealth of Virginia
Formed	1979
Headquarters	Richmond, Virginia
Employees	50–100 (varies)

Virginia Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission is a bipartisan legislative oversight body in Richmond that conducts audits, reviews, and evaluations for the Virginia General Assembly, the Governor of Virginia, and other Commonwealth institutions. The commission provides policy-makers with fiscal analyses, program evaluations, and performance measurements related to state agencies, higher education institutions such as the University of Virginia, and local entities including the City of Richmond and Fairfax County. Reports inform deliberations by members of the Virginia Senate, the Virginia House of Delegates, and committees such as the Senate Finance Committee and the House Appropriations Committee.

History and Establishment

The commission was created by the General Assembly of Virginia in 1979 amid a national movement toward legislative audit offices paralleling bodies like the United States Government Accountability Office and the Texas Legislative Budget Board. Early legislative sponsors included members of the Democratic Party (United States) and the Republican Party (United States), reflecting bicameral support from the Virginia Senate and the Virginia House of Delegates. Influences on its founding included reforms advocated after incidents involving the Virginia Department of Transportation, debates around the Richmond Metropolitan Authority, and scrutiny following fiscal controversies linked to the Marriott Corporation and state procurement practices. The commission’s statutory framework is codified in the Code of Virginia and aligns with standards promoted by the Association of Government Accountants and the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Organization and Governance

The commission’s membership comprises legislators appointed by party and chamber leaders, drawing from entities such as the Senate Democratic Caucus (Virginia), the Senate Republican Caucus (Virginia), the House Democratic Caucus (Virginia), and the House Republican Caucus (Virginia). Leadership roles have included chairpersons who later served in offices like Lieutenant Governor of Virginia or the Attorney General of Virginia. The commission operates through staff divisions including audit, research, and administration, and collaborates with offices such as the Treasurer of Virginia, the Comptroller of Virginia, and the State Comptroller's Office. It also consults external entities like the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, regional auditors from the Mid-Atlantic Association of State Auditors, and legal counsel referencing decisions by the Supreme Court of Virginia.

Powers and Responsibilities

Statutory powers derive from the Code of Virginia permitting the commission to examine records of agencies such as the Virginia Department of Health, the Virginia Department of Transportation, and public institutions like the Virginia Commonwealth University. Responsibilities include conducting performance audits, program evaluations, and fiscal impact analyses that assist committees including the Senate Finance Committee and the House Appropriations Committee. The commission may subpoena documents and testimony much like provisions used by bodies such as the United States House Committee on Oversight and Reform and enforces compliance through coordination with the Office of the Attorney General of Virginia. It sets methodological standards consistent with the Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards and professional guidance from the National Association of State Auditors, Comptrollers and Treasurers.

Audit and Review Process

The commission initiates studies through directives from legislative leaders, requests from committees such as the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission counterparts in other states, or referrals from officials including the Governor of Virginia or local boards like the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. Project phases mirror practices used by the Government Accountability Office: planning, fieldwork, analysis, report drafting, and presentation to the General Assembly. Staff employ techniques from program evaluation literature associated with scholars at institutions like the University of Virginia School of Law and the George Mason University Schar School of Policy and Government, and use data sources including filings with the Virginia Employment Commission and budgets from the Virginia Department of Planning and Budget.

Major Reports and Impact

Notable reports have examined topics such as the Virginia Medicaid program, the Virginia Retirement System, corrections operations at institutions like the Virginia Department of Corrections, and transportation matters involving the Virginia Department of Transportation. Findings have influenced legislation passed by the General Assembly of Virginia, budget amendments signed by the Governor of Virginia, and administrative reforms at agencies including the Virginia Department of Education and the Virginia Community College System. Studies have informed debates involving stakeholders such as the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association and the Virginia Manufacturers Association, and have been cited in coverage by media outlets like the Richmond Times-Dispatch and broadcast reports from WVTF Public Radio.

Funding and Staffing

Budgetary support for the commission is allocated through the Commonwealth of Virginia budget process and overseen by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission’s appropriation lines within documents produced by the Virginia Department of Planning and Budget. Staffing typically includes certified public accountants, policy analysts, and attorneys, some of whom have backgrounds at institutions like the Office of the State Inspector General or in private firms such as the Big Four accounting firms (e.g., Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young, KPMG). Personnel practices follow standards used by the Virginia Department of Human Resource Management.

Criticism and Controversies

The commission has faced critique for perceived partisanship alleged by caucuses including the Virginia Senate Republican Caucus (Virginia) and the House Democratic Caucus (Virginia), disputes over access to records involving entities like the Virginia Lottery and the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, and legal challenges adjudicated in the Supreme Court of Virginia. Critics from advocacy groups such as the ACLU of Virginia and business associations including the Virginia Chamber of Commerce have contested methodology, scope, and timing of reports. Debates have also involved external auditors from firms like Grant Thornton and policy think tanks such as the Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy and the Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis.

Category:Government agencies of Virginia