Substitute House Bill No. 5422 seeks to reestablish the Legislative Program Review and Investigations (PRI) Committee as a permanent standing committee of the General Assembly, effective July 1, 2025. The committee will consist of twelve members—six from the Senate and six from the House of Representatives—appointed by their respective leaders. The bill outlines the committee's responsibilities, including conducting program reviews and investigations of state departments and agencies, establishing policies for report distribution, and recommending legislative changes based on their findings. It also grants the committee the authority to request information from public officers and mandates annual reporting to the General Assembly. Additionally, the bill repeals Section 1-122 and introduces new provisions for compliance audits of quasi-public agencies, which will be conducted biennially by the Auditors of Public Accounts, with costs covered by the agencies themselves.

The bill further amends existing statutes to enhance oversight and accountability, including expanding the reporting obligations of the Auditors of Public Accounts and modifying procedures for the Judicial Review Council. It requires the council to notify involved parties of complaints within five days and mandates confidentiality during investigations. The PRI Committee is also given the authority to access information regarding complaints against judges and magistrates, while ensuring that identifying details remain confidential. The bill replaces outdated language, such as changing "chairman" to "chairperson," and emphasizes the importance of transparency and accountability in both legislative and judicial processes. Overall, sHB5422 aims to restore the functions of the PRI Committee and improve the oversight of state programs and agencies.

Statutes affected:
Committee Bill: 1-122, 2-46, 2-47, 51-51l
GAE Joint Favorable: 1-122, 2-46, 2-47, 51-51l
File No. 548: 1-122, 2-46, 51-51l