Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability

Last updated
Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability
Oppaga seal.gif
Agency overview
FormedJuly 1, 1994
Headquarters111 West Madison Street, Suite 312
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1475
Agency executive
  • PK Jameson, Coordinator
Website www.oppaga.state.fl.us

The Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) is the research arm of the Florida Legislature. OPPAGA supports the Florida Legislature by providing data, evaluative research, and objective analyses that assist legislative budget and policy deliberations. State law, legislative leadership, and the Joint Legislative Auditing Committee determine OPPAGA's research issues. OPPAGA's research focuses on improving program performance, saving money, and ensuring that program activities are appropriate. [1] Since 1998, the state has saved $857 million by adopting policy options and recommendations presented in OPPAGA reports. [2] OPPAGA operates under the guidance of a coordinator appointed by the Joint Legislative Auditing Committee and confirmed by the House and Senate.

Contents

History

In 1994, the Florida Legislature removed the program evaluation unit from the Florida Auditor General [3] and created OPPAGA to help improve the performance and accountability of state government. Since this time, OPPAGA has provided over 1,000 reports to the Legislature. [4] During this period, the office has received several awards for improving state government. [5]

While Governing magazine reported that OPPAGA is "one of the most impressive legislative oversight offices in the country", the office's findings and recommendations may at times be considered controversial. [6] For example, a 2004 OPPAGA report found that a Medicaid "disease management" program the state launched in 1997 had failed to achieve its goals. Under this program, drug manufacturers received an exemption from state-mandated prescription drug discounts in exchange for providing disease management services to state Medicaid recipients with chronic conditions. OPPAGA found that the program saved the state $13.4 million, far less than the projected $108.4 million. The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, [7] which oversaw the program, and Pfizer, one of the pharmaceutical manufacturers that provided disease management, argued with the review's methodology. However, lawmakers ultimately followed OPPAGA's recommendation to separate the disease management program from the state-mandated drug discount exemptions. Now drug manufacturers can no longer provide disease management services in order to receive an exemption from state-mandated prescription drug discounts. [8]

In 2011 it reported that a $108 million program to add seats to the states schools in anticipation of urgent need from 1998 to 2011, overbuilt by 25%, due to economic stagnation and subsequent lack of growth. [9]

Products

OPPAGA provides a variety of research services.

OPPAGA researches all aspects of state government and conducts work through four policy areas – Criminal and Juvenile Justice; Education; Government Operations; and Health and Human Services. A staff director heads each policy area. [13] The following list provides examples of recent work completed by each policy area.

Similar Agencies

The federal Government Accountability Office (GAO) is the audit, evaluation, and investigative arm of the United States Congress.

Other states have offices similar to OPPAGA, but the organizational placement of these offices differs among the states. Nearly half of the offices performing government program evaluation operate as part of a legislative auditor general office. In another third of the states, including Florida, evaluation offices function as independent legislative units. The remaining states house their evaluation offices within a legislative oversight or another committee (such as the legal drafting and research office). [22] Similar evaluation and audit organizations are listed below:

State legislative evaluation offices network through the National Legislative Program Evaluation Society [31] to share ideas for improving government operations and identify options for cost savings.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government Accountability Office</span> US federal government agency

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) is an independent, nonpartisan government agency within the legislative branch that provides auditing, evaluative, and investigative services for the United States Congress. It is the supreme audit institution of the federal government of the United States. It identifies its core "mission values" as: accountability, integrity, and reliability. It is also known as the "congressional watchdog". The agency is headed by the Comptroller General of the United States. The comptroller general is appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the Senate. When a vacancy occurs in the office of the comptroller general, Congress establishes a commission to recommend individuals to the president. The commission consists of the following:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Defense Contract Audit Agency</span> American Dept of Defense auditing agency

The Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) is an agency of the United States Department of Defense under the direction of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller). It was established in 1965 to perform all contract audits for the Department of Defense. Previously, the various branches of military service were responsible for their own contract audits.

Government performance auditing focuses on improving how governments provide programs and services. While there is no one universally agreed upon definition, there are key definitions which capture the scope of government performance auditing. According to the US Government Auditing Standards, "Performance audits are defined as audits that provide findings or conclusions based on an evaluation of sufficient, appropriate evidence against criteria." Additionally, the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions defines performance auditing as "an independent examination of the efficiency and effectiveness of government undertakings, programs or organizations, with due regard to economy, and the aim of leading to improvements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government of Florida</span> Government of a U.S. state

The government of Florida is established and operated according to the Constitution of Florida and is composed of three branches of government: the executive branch consisting of the governor of Florida and the other elected and appointed constitutional officers; the legislative branch, the Florida Legislature, consisting of the Senate and House; and the judicial branch consisting of the Supreme Court of Florida and lower courts. The state also allows direct participation of the electorate by initiative, referendum, and ratification.

Congressional oversight is oversight by the United States Congress over the executive branch, including the numerous U.S. federal agencies. Congressional oversight includes the review, monitoring, and supervision of federal agencies, programs, activities, and policy implementation. Congress exercises this power largely through its congressional committee system. Oversight also occurs in a wide variety of congressional activities and contexts. These include authorization, appropriations, investigative, and legislative hearings by standing committees; which is specialized investigations by select committees; and reviews and studies by congressional support agencies and staff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Internal audit</span> Independent, objective assurance and consulting activity

Internal auditing is an independent, objective assurance and consulting activity designed to add value and improve an organization's operations. It helps an organization accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk management, control and governance processes. Internal auditing might achieve this goal by providing insight and recommendations based on analyses and assessments of data and business processes. With commitment to integrity and accountability, internal auditing provides value to governing bodies and senior management as an objective source of independent advice. Professionals called internal auditors are employed by organizations to perform the internal auditing activity.

The Auditor General of Newfoundland and Labrador is appointed by the Lieutenant-Governor in Council and confirmed by a resolution of the House of Assembly

The New Jersey State Auditor is a constitutional officer appointed by the New Jersey Legislature and administratively placed within the Office of Legislative Services. The Auditor conducts financial and performance audits of State agencies, certain school districts, and vicinages of the Judiciary. The State Auditor also conducts studies on the operation, economy and efficiency of State-run or State-supported programs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Budget and Accounting Act</span>

The Budget and Accounting Act of 1921 was landmark legislation that established the framework for the modern federal budget. The act was approved by President Warren G. Harding to provide a national budget system and an independent audit of government accounts. The official title of this act is "The General Accounting Act of 1921", but is frequently referred to as "the budget act", or "the Budget and Accounting Act".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">State auditor</span> Executive officer of a U.S. state

State auditors are fiscal officers lodged in the executive or legislative branches of U.S. state governments who serve as external auditors, program evaluators, financial controllers, bookkeepers, or inspectors general of public funds. The office of state auditor may be a creature of the state constitution or one created by statutory law.

The New Jersey Office of the State Comptroller(OSC) is an independent agency of the government of New Jersey created by an act of the state legislature in 2007 in order to make government more efficient, accountable and transparent. The state comptroller is appointed by the governor of New Jersey, with the advice and consent of the New Jersey Senate, to a renewable six-year term.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florida Department of Law Enforcement</span> Florida government agency

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) is a state-wide investigative law enforcement agency within the state of Florida. The department formally coordinates eight boards, councils, and commissions. FDLE's duties, responsibilities, and procedures are mandated through Chapter 943, Florida Statutes, and Chapter 11, Florida Administrative Code. FDLE is headed by a commissioner who reports to the Florida Cabinet, which is composed of the governor, the attorney general, the chief financial officer, and the commissioner of agriculture. The commissioner is appointed to his position by the governor and cabinet and confirmed by the Florida Senate.

The statutory and fiduciary mandate of the State Board of Administration of Florida (SBA) is to invest, manage and safeguard assets of the Florida Retirement System (FRS) Trust Fund as well as the assets of a variety of other funds. The SBA manages 25 different investment funds and trust clients.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services</span> Inspector General to counsel for the Department Of HHS portfolio of programs

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The Auditor General of British Columbia is an independent Officer of the Legislature of British Columbia, responsible for conducting audits of the government reporting entity (GRE) which consists of ministries, Crown corporations, and other government organizations such as universities, colleges, school districts, health authorities, and similar organizations that are controlled by or accountable to the provincial government. Independence is a vital safeguard for fulfilling the Auditor General's responsibilities objectively and fairly based solely on the evidence found while conducting proper audit procedures. For this reason, the Auditor General reports directly to the Legislative Assembly and not the government of the day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suzanne Bump</span> American politician

Suzanne M. Bump is an American politician who served as Massachusetts State Auditor from 2011 to 2023, the first woman elected to this role in the state's history. She is also a former State Representative and state Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Control self-assessment</span> Technique to assess process effectiveness

Control self-assessment is a technique developed in 1987 that is used by a range of organisations including corporations, charities and government departments, to assess the effectiveness of their risk management and control processes.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington State Auditor</span>

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References

  1. Barrett, K., Greene, R., Patton, Z. & Keeling, J. (2005, February). Grading the states ’05 Archived 2009-03-24 at the Wayback Machine . [Electronic version]. Governing. Retrieved March 19, 2009.
  2. Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability. (2009, March). Fiscal impact of OPPAGA recommendations. Tallahassee, Florida: Retrieved March 27, 2009.
  3. Myflorida.com
  4. Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability. (n.d.). OPPAGA Reports. Retrieved March 27, 2009.
  5. Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability. (n.d.). Professional organization awards. Retrieved March 27, 2009.
  6. Barrett, K. & Greene, R. (2005, November). Time for a check-up [ permanent dead link ]. [Electronic Version]. Governing. Retrieved March 19, 2009.
  7. AHCA.myflorida.com
  8. Keller, A. (2008, October). A watchdog's life. [Electronic Version]. Florida Trend. Retrieved March 19, 2009.
  9. "Lots of empty seats in new state school buildings". The Tampa Tribune . AP. 21 January 2011. Archived from the original on 2013-02-03. Retrieved 2020-02-01.
  10. OPPAGA Reports
  11. OPPAGA Government Program Summaries
  12. OPPAGA Florida Monitor Weekly
  13. OPPAGA Key Contacts by Area
  14. OPPAGA Criminal and Juvenile Justice
  15. OPPAGA Report 10-27
  16. OPPAGA Education
  17. OPPAGA Report 10-26
  18. OPPAGA Government Operations
  19. OPPAGA Report 09-39
  20. OPPAGA Health and Human Services
  21. OPPAGA Report 10-32
  22. National Conference of State Legislatures & National Legislative Program Evaluation Society. (2008). Ensuring the Public Trust. Denver, Colorado
  23. "State.hi.us". Archived from the original on 2010-06-08. Retrieved 2010-03-25.
  24. Maine.gov
  25. Auditor.leg.state.mn.us
  26. Peer.state.ms.us
  27. Lac.sc.gov
  28. Le.state.ut.us
  29. "Jlarc.state.va.us". Archived from the original on 2009-04-22. Retrieved 2009-04-14.
  30. Legis.state.wi.us
  31. NCSL.org Archived 2009-07-05 at the Portuguese Web Archive