<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="ged" article_name="Education" number="5-109" title_number="5" title_name="Financing" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="Budget and Reporting Requirements">
  <level label="a">
    <text>Each county board shall provide for an annual audit of its financial transactions and accounts.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The audit shall be made by a certified public accountant or a partnership of certified public accountants who are:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Licensed by the State Board of Public Accountancy; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Approved by the State Superintendent.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The audit shall be made in accordance with the standards and regulations adopted by the State Board.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The results of the audit, including the letter of recommendation submitted by the auditor, are a matter of public record.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The results shall be reported within 3 months after the close of the fiscal year for the county board on the form and in the manner required by the State Board to:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>The State Superintendent;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The county fiscal authority and the county council or the county commissioners;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>The Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee of the General Assembly;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>The Senate Budget and Taxation Committee;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>The Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vi">
        <text>The House Appropriations Committee; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vii">
        <text>The House Committee on Ways and Means.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>In addition to the audit required by this section, the county commissioners or county council may conduct an audit using auditors employed by the county.</text>
  </level>
</section>
