In this subtitle, “Committee” means the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee.

There is a Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee, which is a joint committee of the Senate and the House.

The Committee consists of 10 members of the Senate, appointed by the President, and 10 members of the House, appointed by the Speaker. Members of the Committee shall be appointed on the basis of demonstrated ability and interest in the functions of the Committee. In making appointments from time to time, the President and the Speaker shall provide for representation from the major areas of the State. Members shall be appointed after the 2 houses and their committees organize during each regular session of the General Assembly and shall serve until the houses and committees organize during the following regular session. If a vacancy occurs among the Senators on the Committee, a successor promptly shall be appointed by the President. If a vacancy occurs among the Delegates on the Committee, a successor promptly shall be appointed by the Speaker.

The President and the Speaker jointly shall appoint the chair and the vice chair of the Committee.

In addition to any powers and duties set forth elsewhere, the Committee shall: review audit reports issued by the Legislative Auditor and submit findings and recommendations to the General Assembly with respect to issues in audit reports; review the audit process and procedures and provide comment and recommendations to the President and the Speaker, the Executive Director of the Department of Legislative Services, and the Legislative Auditor; review performance evaluations conducted and reports issued by the Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability and submit findings and recommendations to the General Assembly with respect to issues raised in the performance evaluations and reports; and review the performance evaluation process and procedures and provide comment and recommendations to the President and the Speaker, the Executive Director of the Department of Legislative Services, and the Director of the Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability.