Senate committee advances bill to require audit referrals to Attorney General

Sen. Dave Wallace, R‑district 19, told a Senate committee that SB 363 would require the Arkansas Legislative Audit to notify the state attorney general when audit findings are referred to prosecuting attorneys. Wallace said the attorney general helped draft parts of the bill and that prosecuting attorneys agree with the change.

The bill’s sponsor said the change is intended to keep the attorney general better informed so the office can assist local prosecutors in pursuing any potential crimes identified in audit reports. Wallace described the measure as a technical coordination change rather than a new investigatory power.

Committee members did not engage in extended debate. A motion to advance the bill was made and carried on a voice vote; no roll‑call tally was recorded in the hearing transcript. The chair congratulated Wallace after the vote.

The transcript records references to existing referral practices by Legislative Audit but does not include text of the final bill as published. Affected agencies and next procedural steps were not spelled out in the hearing record. The committee proceeded to additional FOIA‑related bills on its agenda.