Performance audits

Law enforcement officers can seize property they believe has been involved in or is the proceeds of a crime through a legal tool called civil asset forfeiture. The process does not require an arrest, charge or criminal conviction of the property’s owner. 

In a new report, the first of its kind in the state, the Office of the Washington State Auditor described how civil asset forfeiture works, based on an analysis of data and practices at eight law enforcement agencies.  

Certain cities and counties in Washington are required to meet a 120-day deadline to make decisions on development permits. However, the actual processing time varies widely between localities and permit types, a new performance audit found. 

Washington shellfish are enjoyed the world over; marinas connect people with the state’s beautiful stretches of water. Both can rely on publicly owned land under the waves, through aquatic land leases. 

A performance audit published today reviewed the processes for determining the lease rates for aquatic lands, and how those processes contribute to fairness for leaseholders and the state through consistency. 

With limited supplies in greater demand, Washington needs to better understand current water system data to reduce the loss of drinkable water, according to a new performance audit by the Office of the Washington State Auditor.

The Department of Health is tasked with increasing the efficiency of the state’s 2,065 local municipal water systems through both customer-focused conservation efforts and minimizing the loss of water as it travels through the systems.

Washington does not meet federal requirements to test children for lead exposure, according to a new performance audit by the Office of the Washington State Auditor.

Amid the upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic, many Washington school districts developed new approaches to education that should be explored more, according to a new performance audit by the Office of the Washington State Auditor.

Beginning in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of public schools and a rapid shift to online education across the nation. While the change was a major disruption for students, parents and educators, it also allowed school districts to innovate as they navigated the pandemic.

Public services of all types depend on specialized computer systems and information technology applications. However, all too often those applications are out of date. In fact, between 40 percent and 60 percent of Washington state’s government applications should be considered “legacy applications” according to Washington Technology Solutions, the state’s centralized provider of IT services.

Every educational service district in Washington has established a regional school safety center, conducted threat assessments, and offered trainings, resources and consultation to area schools, according to a performance audit released today.

OLYMPIA – Local agricultural industry producers believe they benefit from the state commissions that promote commodities from cranberries to beef, and Washington should consider a statewide brand for its homegrown goods, according to a new performance audit by the Office of the Washington State Auditor.

OLYMPIA – Responding to a request from state lawmakers, the Office of the Washington State Auditor evaluated the Employment Security Department on a number of measures related to customer service during the COVID-19 pandemic. The audit, released today, found that shorter wait times for callers and faster benefit payments to Washington's unemployed are primarily due to a decline in the number of jobless people, not to state reforms.