SB 6215

S-4634.1
  SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 6215
 State of Washington  69th Legislature        2026 Regular Session
 By Senate State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections (originally
 sponsored by Senators Hansen, Boehnke, and Valdez)
 READ FIRST TIME 02/04/26.
1     AN ACT Relating to fraud prevention; creating new sections; and
2 providing an expiration date.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
4     NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that:
5     (1) Washington state administers a wide range of programs that
6 distribute public funds, deliver critical services, and rely on
7 partnerships   with  local   governments,   nonprofits,  and   private
8 entities. Maintaining strong public trust in these programs requires
9 proactive oversight and effective risk management practices that
10 evolve as programs, technology, and service delivery models change.
11     (2) Recent national attention on fraud in publicly funded
12 programs underscores the importance of regularly assessing areas of
13 risk before problems become systemic.
14     (3) While Washington has existing audit and accountability
15 mechanisms, the legislature recognizes the value of an assessment of
16 these mechanisms and their effectiveness in identifying gaps and
17 opportunities for improvement.
18     (4) It is the intent of the legislature to promote transparency
19 and efficient use of oversight resources by directing the joint
20 legislative audit and review committee to evaluate current practices,
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1  compare them to other states, and provide options to strengthen the
2  oversight of state programs.
3     NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) The joint legislative audit and review
4 committee shall review auditing, accountability, and risk management
5 practices across Washington's state agencies. The review may
6 consider:
7     (a) Existing internal controls, oversight processes, a sample of
8 state programs that oversee and administer grants, loans and
9 contracts, and the role of the state auditor, internal auditors
10 within agencies, and the office of financial management in preventing
11 fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement;
12     (b) Gaps, weaknesses, or inefficiencies in current auditing and
13 accountability practices;
14     (c) A comparison of Washington's auditing and accountability
15 practices to those of other states, highlighting models, strategies,
16 or tools that have proven effective elsewhere; and
17     (d) Options for enhancing statewide accountability that are
18 produced in clear and accessible language, highlighting actionable
19 steps that could improve accountability and stewardship of public
20 funds.
21     (2) The committee shall report on the results of the performance
22 audit, including findings and recommendations, to the legislature by
23 September 1, 2027.
24     (3) This section expires October 1, 2027.
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