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1996 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 204
Directing the Virginia State Crime Commission to evaluate the roles of the state internal auditor within the Secretary of Finance and the offices of the inspectors general in the Departments of Corrections and Correctional Education.

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 8, 1996
Agreed to by the Senate, February 21, 1996

WHEREAS, the state internal auditor is primarily responsible for the "development and maintenance of internal audit programs in state agencies in order to ensure that the Commonwealth's assets are subject to appropriate internal management controls"; and

WHEREAS, the office of the state internal auditor has been called upon over the years to investigate and rule upon the propriety of management decisions and activities which were in question; and

WHEREAS, § 2.1-234.34 of the Code of Virginia requires a review of the performance of the office of the state internal auditor every four years to be performed by the Secretary of Finance; and

WHEREAS, the inspector general in the Department of Corrections is empowered to investigate allegations of criminal behavior which affect the operations of the Department, and investigators have the same powers as law-enforcement officers during the course of such investigations; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Correctional Education has only recently established a position of inspector general for that Department; and

WHEREAS, government agencies and representatives are constantly under the scrutiny of the public and the press and it is imperative that the work of government be held to the highest standards of ethics and quality; and

WHEREAS, independent audits provide the most reliable method for discovering facts, ensuring credibility, and withstanding public scrutiny; and

WHEREAS, to maintain the confidence of the people of the Commonwealth, it would behoove us to examine our methods of self-regulation and solicit unbiased recommendations on how we, as a Commonwealth, can maintain the trust and confidence of the people; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the Virginia State Crime Commission be directed to evaluate the roles of the state internal auditor within the Secretary of Finance and the offices of the inspectors general within the Departments of Corrections and Correctional Education. The Commission shall make recommendations on how the functions of government oversight might be improved.

All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Commission, upon request.

The Commission shall complete its work in time to submit its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the 1997 Session of the General Assembly as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents.