State & Local Reports

The audit has three findings:1. A more efficient training process could result in greater staffing efficiency, and potentially reduce overtime.2. Non-emergency calls to the Emergency Communications Center are rising, which burdens existing staff and calls for a multi-faceted solution. 3. The audit did not identify a current need for additional authorized positions, and quicker access to better data should be a priority.

This special report provides summary information and 3 interactive dashboards with Arizona school districts’ and charter schools’ reported spending through June 30, 2021, and planned spending of allocated/awarded COVID-19 federal relief monies. This special report also provides Arizona Department of Education (ADE)-reported spending through June 30, 2021, and planned future spending of the discretionary COVID-19 federal relief monies that it received, as required by the law. This information is included below the dashboards.

Legislative leadership commissioned a study to gauge the issues and needs of state-owned laboratory testing facilities. Nearly all the State’s laboratory testing programs are in facilities dating back to the middle of the last century. Not only are they relatively old, but many were not constructed for lab testing purposes. Each of the State’s lab testing programs do not have sufficient lab space in their current facilities, and no facility upgrades or remodeling have occurred to maintain modern standards.

The legislative auditor commissioned a study to gauge the use, effectiveness, and benefits of telework as it was used by the West Virginia executive branch in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. PERD staff surveyed the 139 state agencies to gain an understanding on the transition to telework. One hundred twelve (112) agencies responded. PERD also interviewed nine state agencies to obtain details on their telework experience as they returned to the workplace.

PERD’s objectives were to provide information on the unprecedented number of unemployment claims filed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the amount paid in fraudulent claims, and the causes for many fraudulent claims being paid. WorkForce West Virginia paid nearly $83 million in fraudulent unemployment claims during the COVID-19 pandemic. The total number of unemployment claims processed by WorkForce increased from 52,816 in CY 2019 (pre-pandemic) to 457,399 in CY 2020. WorkForce’s claims process was not designed for the unprecedented number of claims received, and the allowances of self-certification of federal pandemic unemployment assistance program claims.

The objective of this report was to review the OCME's current methods for retaining remains and any legal authority it may have to plan for their disposition. Current operating procedure is to store remains with evidentiary value in frozen storage and those without evidentiary value as cremated remains, but no written policy and procedure exists. Both unidentified and unclaimed remains must be retained indefinitely by the OCME at its main facility. The Legislative Auditor concludes that the OCME lacks adequate statutory authority to arrange for the final disposition of decedent remains in its long-term custody.