<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="glg" article_name="Local Government" number="16-308" title_number="16" title_name="In General" subtitle_number="3" subtitle_name="Uniform System of Financial Reporting">
  <level label="a">
    <text>Each county shall adopt uniform rules and regulations for the auditing of the financial records of each special taxing district created by the county that:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>receives money collected by the county from a county property tax imposed at the request of the special taxing district;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>has annual expenditures exceeding $250,000; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>has money disbursed and expended independently of the county government.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>At a minimum, the rules and regulations required under subsection (a) of this section shall require the audit to:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>be conducted by:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>a certified public accountant:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>acting in the capacity of an independent auditor or an official auditor of the county; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>who is in compliance with the Maryland Public Accountancy Act; or</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>an auditing committee approved by the official auditor of the county;</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>determine if tax funds have been received, deposited, and disbursed in accordance with approved appropriations and State and local law;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>include the following financial statements:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>a balance sheet;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>a statement of revenues;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>a statement of expenditures and encumbrances; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>a statement of changes in fund balance; and</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>be completed and filed with the appropriate county officials not later than 90 days after the close of the fiscal year.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>For a special taxing district that is created by the county and has annual expenditures of less than $250,000, the county shall require:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>an annual financial report; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>an audit every 4 years unless the county determines, on a case–by–case basis, that more frequent audits are required.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>If a special taxing district subject to subsection (a) or (c) of this section does not file a financial report or audit report required by the county, the county may withhold the distribution of taxes imposed on behalf of the special taxing district until the report is received.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>When a county files its audit report with the Legislative Auditor as required by § 16–306 of this subtitle, the county also shall submit:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>a copy of each financial report and audit report received from each special taxing district subject to subsection (a) or (c) of this section; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>a report on the results of the county’s review of each special taxing district’s compliance with this section.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Legislative Auditor shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>review the financial reports, audit reports, and other information received from each county; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>submit recommendations as appropriate based on the results of the review.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
