A. The Auditor of Public Accounts, under the direction of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission shall devise a modern, effective and uniform system of bookkeeping and accounting for the use of all county, city and town officials and agencies handling the revenues of the Commonwealth or of any political subdivision thereof. The Auditor of Public Accounts may approve any existing system.

B. The Auditor of Public Accounts, when requested by the governing body of any unit of local government, may make and establish a system of bookkeeping and accounting for such unit which shall conform to generally accepted accounting principles. He shall make and establish a uniform system of fiscal reporting for the treasurers or other chief financial officers, clerks of the courts and school divisions of all counties and cities, and all towns having a population of 3,500 or more and all towns constituting a separate school division regardless of population.

C. The cost of such service shall be borne by the county or city receiving the service of the Auditor of Public Accounts and shall not exceed an amount sufficient to reimburse the Commonwealth for the actual cost to the Commonwealth of the service. The fees so charged, upon an account rendered by the Auditor of Public Accounts, shall be remitted by the treasurer of the county or city out of any funds within his control, within thirty days to the State Treasurer, together with the account rendered by the Auditor of Public Accounts. The Auditor of Public Accounts shall pay into the state treasury the amount so received to the credit of the funds of the Auditor of Public Accounts so that it may be available for carrying out the provisions of subsection B.

Code 1950, §§ 2-128, 2-138, 2-139; 1950, pp. 247, 692; 1958, c. 615; 1960, c. 237; 1966, c. 677, §§ 2.1-156, 2.1-167, 2.1-168; 1972, cc. 73, 582; 1973, c. 507; 1975, c. 323; 1979, c. 318; 1985, c. 315; 2001, c. 844.