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MINUTES OF THE
LEGISLATIVE AUDIT SUBCOMMITTEE
Tuesday,
April 15, 2025
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1:00 p.m.
•
445 State Capitol
Members Present:
President J. Stuart Adams, Co-chair
Speaker Mike Schultz, Co-chair
Sen. Kirk A. Cullimore
Sen. Luz Escamilla
Rep. Jefferson Moss
| Rep. Angela Romero
Staff Present:
Brian J. Dean, Deputy Auditor General
Donna Hernandez, Office Manager
Darin R. Underwood, Deputy Auditor General
Kade R. Minchey, Auditor General
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Note: A copy of related materials and an audio recording of the meeting can be found at www.le.utah.gov.
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| Speaker Schultz called the meeting to order at 1:12 P.M. |
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| 2.Audit Report Presentations |
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| Mr. Jesse Martinson, Audit Manager, introduced A Performance Audit of Election Cybersecurity: Continuous Improvement to Strengthen Security (Report #2025-08).. |
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| A Performance Audit of Election Cybersecurity: Continuous Improvement to Strengthen Security |
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| Mr. Martinson and Mr. Jake Dinsdale, Senior Audit Supervisor, presented the findings of the audit. |
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| Mr. Dinsdale responded to a question from Speaker Schultz regarding vulnerabilities in the cyber election system that hackers can access. |
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| Mr. Dinsdale responded to a question from Representative Romero clarifying that if counties track who is accessing the system. |
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| Representative Romero commented on making it clear that there is a check and balance process that was put in place over the years by the legislature. |
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| Mr. Martinson and Mr. Dinsdale continued their presentation on the findings of the audit. |
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| Mr. Dinsdale responded to a question from Speaker Schultz regarding a piece of paper with user password information printed on it that was left beside a computer. |
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| Mr. Dinsdale responded to a question from Senator Escamilla regarding the accountability and consequences of not following the processes that are in place. |
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| Mr. Dinsdale responded to a question from Speaker Schultz regarding someone being able to walk in, find the passwords left out, and hack the system that way. |
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| Representative Romero referred to the previous election audit and issues with cameras in the county offices. Mr. Dinsdale then responded to a clarifying question about the number of counties that had the issue of passwords being left out in the open. |
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| Mr. Martinson and Mr. Dinsdale continued to present on the findings of the audit. |
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| Mr. Dinsdale responded to questions from Speaker Schultz regarding members of the public getting access to the machines and if the passwords were left out in the counties that did not have their computers locked away. |
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| Weber County Clerk Mr. Ricky Hatch, on behalf of the 29 county clerks in Utah, responded to the findings of the audit. |
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| Mr. Hatch responded to a question from Speaker Schultz regarding the findings of the audit and processes being established to ensure some of the issues found (e.g. leaving out passwords), does not happen again. |
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| Speaker Schultz thanked Mr. Hatch, and all Utah County Clerks for their willingness to look at the audits and make changes in their processes accordingly. |
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| MOTION:President Adams moved to refer A Performance Audit of Election Cybersecurity: Continuous Improvement to Strengthen Security (Report #2025-08) to the Government Operations Committee as the lead committee and to the Political Subdivisions Interim Committee as the review committee.The motion
passed
with a vote of
5-0-1.
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| Yeas -
5 | Nays-
0 | Abs-
1 | |
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. L. Escamilla
Rep. J. Moss
Rep. A. Romero
Rep. M. Schultz
| | Sen. K. Cullimore
| |
| Ms. Leah Blevins, Audit Manager, introduced A Systemic Audit of the Department of Workforce Services: Focusing on Client Success (Report #2025-06). |
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| A Systemic Audit of the Department of Workforce Services: Focusing on Client Success |
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| Ms. Blevins and Mr. August Lehman, Performance Audit Supervisor, presented the findings of the audit. |
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| Ms. Blevins responded to a question from Representative Romero regarding employees having to meet numbers versus helping customers. |
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| Mr. Lehman responded to a question from Representative Romero regarding whether current processes allow adequate time for people to submit the appropriate paperwork. |
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| Mr. Casey Cameron, Executive Director of the Department of Workforce Services responded to the findings of the audit. |
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| MOTION:President Adams made a motion to refer A Systemic Audit of the Department of Workforce Services: Focusing on Client Success (Report #2025-06) to the Economic Development and Workforce Services Interim Committee as the lead committee and to the Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee as the review committee.The motion
passed
with a vote of
6-0-0.
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| Yeas -
6 | Nays-
0 | Abs-
0 | |
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. K. Cullimore
Sen. L. Escamilla
Rep. J. Moss
Rep. A. Romero
Rep. M. Schultz
| | | |
| MOTION:President Adams made a motion to approve the minutes of the January 31, 2025, Legislative Audit Subcommittee meeting.The motion
passed
with a vote of
6-0-0.
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| Yeas -
6 | Nays-
0 | Abs-
0 | |
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. K. Cullimore
Sen. L. Escamilla
Rep. J. Moss
Rep. A. Romero
Rep. M. Schultz
| | | |
| 4.Audit Report Presentations |
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| Ms. Blevins introduced A Performance Audit of Utah's Behavioral Health Workforce: A Review of Workforce Efforts, Entities, Indicators and Oversight (Report #2025-05). |
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| A Performance Audit of the Utah's Behavioral Health Workforce: A Review of Workforce Efforts, Entities, Indicators, and Oversight |
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| Ms. Blevins and Ms. McKenzie Cantlon, Lead Performance Auditor, presented the findings of the audit. |
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| Ms. Cantlon responded to a question from Senator Escamilla regarding the access points for behavioral health services in commercial insurance. |
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| Ms. Cantlon responded to a question from Speaker Schultz regarding the number of private insurance providers providing services. |
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| Ms. Tracy Gruber, Executive Director of the Department of Health and Human Services responded to the findings of the audit. |
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| Ms. Gruber responded to a question from Speaker Schultz regarding reducing requirements of licensure issues and losing staff to schools based on changes previously made by legislature and any pushback the department had received on this. |
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| Ms. Gruber responded to a question from Representative Moss regarding peer-to-peer counseling in Higher Education. |
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| Representative Moss discussed the importance of taking the same skill set learned by mental health workers into the workforce, |
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| Mr. Tammer Attallah, First Vice Chair, Behavioral Health Commission, responded to the findings of the audit. |
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| Speaker Schultz commented on the Department of Health and Human Services working with Utah System of Higher Education to get more mental health professionals into this career field. |
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| MOTION:President Adams moved to refer A Performance Audit of Utah's Behavioral Health Workforce: A Review of Workforce Efforts, Entities, Indicators and Oversight (Report #2025-05) to the Health and Human Services Interim Committee as the lead committee.The motion
passed
with a vote of
6-0-0.
|
|
| Yeas -
6 | Nays-
0 | Abs-
0 | |
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. K. Cullimore
Sen. L. Escamilla
Rep. J. Moss
Rep. A. Romero
Rep. M. Schultz
| | | |
| 5.Audit Report Presentations |
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| Mr. Darin Underwood, Deputy Auditor General, introduced A Systemic Performance Audit of the Alpine School District: Identifying Achievement Gaps and Best Practices for Statewide Consideration (Report #2025-07). |
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| A Systemic Performance Audit of Alpine School District: Identifying Achievement Gaps and Best Practices for Statewide Consideration |
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| Mr. Underwood and Ms. Lyndsay Jaynes, Performance Audit Supervisor, presented the findings of the audit. |
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| Ms. Jaynes responded to a question from Representative Romero regarding the availability to assist minority groups in their education. |
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| Mr. Underwood followed up on the comments about ethnic and racial gaps in learning. |
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| Mr. Underwood and Ms. Jaynes continued with their presentation on the findings of the audit. |
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| Ms. Jaynes responded to a question from President Adams regarding minority populations declining in test results except in science. |
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| Mr. Underwood responded to a question from President Adams regarding using a best practice model to help improve student performance. |
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| Mr. Underwood and Ms. Jaynes continued with their presentation on the findings of the audit. |
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| Dr. Shane Farnsworth, Superintendent of Alpine School District, responded to the findings of the audit. |
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| Dr. Farnsworth responded to a question from President Adams regarding district outcomes. |
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| President Adams expressed his appreciation for the willingness for Alpine School District to work with the auditors and asked that Dr. Farnworth let their staff and teachers know how much they are appreciated. |
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| Ms. Julie King, Board President of Alpine School District Board, responded to the findings of the audit. |
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| Speaker Schultz commented on the great performance scores that the state of Utah has in education reflected in Utah being ranked 2nd in the nation and commented on Alpine's choice to focus on administrative training. |
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| President Adams commented on the importance of Principal Training in the school district. |
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| MOTION:President Adams moved to refer A Systemic Performance Audit of the Alpine School District: Identifying Achievement Gaps and Best Practices for Statewide Consideration (Report #2025-07) to the Education Interim Committee as the lead committee and to the Public education Appropriations Subcommittee as the review committee.The motion
passed
with a vote of
6-0-0.
|
|
| Yeas -
6 | Nays-
0 | Abs-
0 | |
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. K. Cullimore
Sen. L. Escamilla
Rep. J. Moss
Rep. A. Romero
Rep. M. Schultz
| | | |
| MOTION:President Adams moved to change the Review Committee for A Systemic Audit of the Department of Workforce Services: Focusing on Client Success (Report #2025-06) to the Economic Development and Workforce Services Interim Committee as the lead committee and to the Economic and Community Development Appropriations Subcommittee as the review committee.The motion
passed
with a vote of
6-0-0.
|
|
| Yeas -
6 | Nays-
0 | Abs-
0 | |
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. K. Cullimore
Sen. L. Escamilla
Rep. J. Moss
Rep. A. Romero
Rep. M. Schultz
| | | |
| MOTION:President Adams moved to prioritize the following audits and grant flexibility to the Auditor General to begin them as staff expertise and resources become available: - a performance audit of local governments' water management processes, - a performance audit of local authorities' property tax processes, including the truth in taxation process, a systemic audit of the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, and a performance audit of the Industrial Hemp and Medical Cannabis Division within the Department of Agriculture.The motion
passed
with a vote of
6-0-0.
|
|
| Yeas -
6 | Nays-
0 | Abs-
0 | |
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. K. Cullimore
Sen. L. Escamilla
Rep. J. Moss
Rep. A. Romero
Rep. M. Schultz
| | | |
| MOTION:President Adams moved to adjourn at 2:56 P.M.The motion
passed
with a vote of
6-0-0.
|
|
| Yeas -
6 | Nays-
0 | Abs-
0 | |
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. K. Cullimore
Sen. L. Escamilla
Rep. J. Moss
Rep. A. Romero
Rep. M. Schultz
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