An Audit Report on Performance Measures at the Texas Ethics Commission Page: 2 of 21
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8
tate
editor's
An Audit Report on
John Keel, CPA Performance Measures at the Texas Ethics
State Auditor Commission
SAO Report No. 08-029
April 2008
Overall Conclusion
Background Information
Two of the five key performance measures Entities report results for their key measures to
that the Texas Ethics Commission the Legislative Budget Board's budget and
(Commission) reported for fiscal year 2007 evaluation system, which is called the Automated
Budget and Evaluation System of Texas, or ABEST.
are considered reliable because they were The Texas Ethics Commission (Commission)
certified with qualification. A performance oversees the conduct of public officials and those
measure result is considered reliable if it is attempting to influence public officials. The
Commission is responsible for administering and
certified or certified with qualification. enforcing laws governing political contributions
Results for one of the five measures cannot and expenditures, political advertising, lobbyist
be considered reliable. Results for the two registration and activities, personal financial
disclosure of state officers, conduct of state
remaining measures could not be certified officers and employees, and other election and
due to the sensitive nature of the legislative functions. The Commission has 35
information related to these measures. budgeted full-time equivalent employees.
Specifically:
Two key performance measures-Number of Reports Logged Within Two Working
Days of Receipt and Average Time (Working Days) to Answer Advisory Opinion
Requests-were certified with qualification because the Commission's policies
and procedures for calculating performance measures and reviewing results prior
to reporting them in the Automated Budget and Evaluation System of Texas
(ABEST) were inadequate. In addition, the Commission deviated from the
definition in ABEST for Average Time (Working Days) to Answer Advisory Opinion
Requests. The deviation caused less than a 5 percent difference between the
actual measure result and the number reported in ABEST; therefore, the
reported result is still considered reliable.
One key measure-Percent of Advisory Opinion Requests Answered Within 60
Days-was inaccurate because the Commission deviated from the measure
definition and methodology in ABEST. This resulted in the actual performance
differing by more than 31 percent from the reported performance. In addition,
the Commission did not have sufficient input and process controls or adequate
policies and procedures to ensure that the measure results would be accurately
calculated and reported in ABEST in the future.
Factors prevented certification of two key measures-Number of Sworn
Complaints Processed and Average Time (Working Days) to Respond to Sworn
Complaints-because weaknesses exist in the collection, calculation, review, and
reporting of these performance measures. For example, the Commission
deviated from the measures' definitions and calculation methodologies. GivenThis audit was conducted in accordance with Texas Government Code, Section 2101.038.
For more information regarding this report, please contact Sandra Vice, Assistant State Auditor, or John Keel, State Auditor, at (512)
936-9500.
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Texas. Office of the State Auditor. An Audit Report on Performance Measures at the Texas Ethics Commission, report, April 2008; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth518494/m1/2/?q=%22Government+and+Law%22: accessed July 9, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.