Question 1: Should voters empower the auditor to look into the state Legislature?
When Massachusetts residents head to the polls this fall, they will be asked to weigh in on five statewide ballot questions, the most to be put in front of voters since 2000. They concern MCAS graduation requirements, the possible unionization of rideshare drivers, the legalization of some psychedelics, and increasing the minimum wage for tipped workers.
But Question 1 is all about whether or not the Office of the State Auditor has the power to conduct an audit of the state Legislature. The current auditor, Diana DiZoglio, has been pushing for an audit of the Legislature since before taking office in 2023. Lawmakers have been generally resistant. Here’s a guide to every major aspect of Question 1.
If passed, the state auditor would be given the express authorization to audit the Massachusetts Legislature. Current laws give the auditor the power to examine “all departments, offices, commissions, institutions and activities of the commonwealth,” and this question explicitly adds the Legislature to the list.
Although many associate the idea of an auditor with evaluations of financial record-keeping, the state auditor’s office is primarily meant to ensure state agencies follow existing laws and regulations and to evaluate their performance based on criteria set by the Government Accountability Office. The position was created within the Executive Branch to help monitor the actions of the governor and executive agencies. The auditor can ask to access a variety of records and documents, backed up by the threat of court enforcement for noncompliance.
https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2024/10/04/question-1-2024-ma-ballot-audit-legislature/