MARYLAND MATTERS
MARCH 2, 2026
The Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee voted Monday to back a package of bills aimed at forcing agencies to be more attentive to fixing problems uncovered by state audits.
The bills follow a number of sometimes contentious hearings over the last year where lawmakers expressed frustration over the seriousness of the problems identified in audits, as well as the growing number of repeat findings, sometimes stretching back a decade or more.
“For a second year in a row, a significant amount of general funds were needed to resolve an increased need for deficiency funding,” said Sen. Shelly Hettleman (D-Baltimore County), Senate co-chair of the committee.
Hettleman said the increase was “a concern and highlights the need for better fiscal practices to ensure financial transparency and accountability in the management of taxpayer funds.”
But the concerns stretch beyond questions of fiscal accountability. A number of audits raised questions about how the state manages its office space and justifies when a contract is in the best interest of the state. In one report, auditors raised concerns about a lack of background checks for those who work with or live with foster children.
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