(The Center Square) – Expansion of the state auditor’s authority for investigations is on the way to the Senate in North Carolina.

Clarify Powers of State Auditor, known also as House Bill 549, got considerable debate and some amendments along the way before Tuesday evening’s 66-46 passage in the chamber with 71-49 majority Republicans. There were no Democrats for it, and only Rep. Ray Pickett of Watauga County against it from the Grand Old Party.

Dave Boliek is the first-term Republican auditor. The legislation doesn’t have a sunset and would commence July 1 with the start of the fiscal year.

Publicly funded entities is an enhanced definition allowing probes into organizations that receive, disburse or handle federal and state funds. In similarity to second-term Republican President Donald Trump’s creation of the Department of Government Efficiency, the state auditor would be able to audit for government efficiency, risk assessment, fraud detection, audit planning and evidence gathering.

Publicly funded entity, through debate and amendment, evolved into “any individual, corporation, institution, association, board or other organization that receives, disburses or handles state or federal funds,” says the bill digest provided by the UNC School of Government in concert with the state legislative website.

In the Senate, The DAVE Act – Senate Bill 474 – was sent to the House of Representatives on April 9. It awaits action from the lower chamber’s Committee on Rules, Calendar and Operations. That bill, notably supported by Sen. Dan Blue, D-Wake, has a sunset concurrent with the next election, or Dec. 31, 2028.

The Senate’s proposal would establish the Division of Accountability, Value, and Efficiency within the office of state auditor. If made law, it would enact the division “directing each state agency to report to the division on its use of public monies and the status of its vacant positions and directing the division to assess the continued need of each state agency and the vacant positions within each agency.”

Before the 2023-24 legislative session ended, appointment power for the members of the State Board of Elections was shifted from the governor to the auditor. Boliek’s fivesome was scheduled for their first meeting Wednesday morning.