§ 22-13-1. Appointment - Qualifications - Oath - Bond - Office space - Rules and regulations. (a) The auditor general shall be appointed by the joint committee on legislative services, referred to in this chapter as "the committee." At the time of appointment, the auditor general shall have had active experience in general accounting principles and practices in this state for a total period of at least five (5) years. Vacancies in the office shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.

(b)(1) The committee shall employ qualified persons necessary for the efficient operation of the office and shall fix their duties and compensation and those persons shall be in the unclassified service.

(2) No person shall be employed as an auditor who does not have adequate technical training and proficiency, and a baccalaureate degree from a college or university, and no person shall be employed or retained as legal advisor on either a full-time or a part-time basis who is not a member of the Rhode Island bar.

(c) The auditor general, before entering upon the duties of his or her office, shall take and subscribe to the oath of office required of state officers by the state constitution.

(d) The auditor general shall be covered by the state's blanket position bond and conditioned that he or she will well and faithfully discharge the duties of his or her office; promptly report any delinquency or shortage discovered in any accounts and records audited by him or her; and promptly pay over and account for any and all funds that shall come into his or her hands as auditor.

(e)(1) All auditors employed by the auditor general shall be covered by a blanket position bond. The bonds or bond shall meet and contain the same conditions as are required in the bond of the auditor general.

(2) All bonds shall be filed with the committee. If an auditor is not covered in the blanket position bond, an individual bond shall be filed within thirty (30) days after the employee received notice of his or her employment. The amount of the bond shall be determined by the auditor general. Failure to file an individual bond or to be covered in the blanket position bond shall terminate his or her employment.

(f) The annual premium of all bonds shall be paid out of any funds provided for the operation of the office.

(g) The auditor general shall be provided with suitable quarters, but to facilitate auditing and to eliminate unnecessary traveling, the joint committee on legislative services may establish divisions, including a performance investigation division, and assign auditors to each division and determine their duties and the areas of the state to be served by the respective divisions. The auditor general shall be provided and furnished with any space that may be necessary to carry out his or her functions in other areas of the state.

(h) The auditor general may make and enforce reasonable rules and regulations necessary to facilitate audits and investigations that the joint committee on legislative services authorizes the auditor general to perform. This includes the post-audit of the financial transactions and accounts of the state that is provided for by the finance committee of the house of representatives.

(i) No full-time employee of the office of auditor general shall serve as an executive, officer, or employee of any political party committee, organization, or association. Neither the auditor general nor any employee of the auditor general shall become a candidate for election to public office unless he or she shall first resign from his or her office or employment.

History of Section. (P.L. 1973, ch. 225, § 1; P.L. 1975, ch. 194, § 1; P.L. 1988, ch. 525, § 1; P.L. 2019, ch. 88, art. 2, § 3.)