Local auditee reports that are received in the web portal (see Submitting a Report to the Legislative Auditor) undergo a preliminary administrative review. The administrative review determines, for example, that the correct report that was submitted.
After the report has undergone the administrative review it goes into the part of the web portal where it may be retrieved by a Louisiana Legislative Auditor (LLA) report reviewer. Based on the information entered by the certified public accountant (CPA) when the report was submitted, or other matters identified by LLA, the report may undergo an expedited review, or it may undergo a more thorough review.
If there are no questions or problems with the report, the report review is finalized and the report issued.
If there are questions, problems or errors regarding a report, LLA will contact the CPA for resolution before the issuing the report. Depending upon the problem, the CPA may need to obtain additional information from the local auditee.
Sworn financial statements receive a more cursory review because of the limited amount of public dollars included in these reports.
What Happens After The Legislative Auditor Receives My Agency’s Report?
The Louisiana Governmental Audit Guide (LAGAG) is authorized by Louisiana Revised Statute 24:513 A. (5) (a) (i) to set forth the standards by which the engagements of local governments and quasi-public organizations (local auditees) are to be performed. The LAGAG is jointly produced by the Louisiana Legislative Auditor (LLA) and the Society of Louisiana Certified Public Accountants.
Although the LAGAG is intended to assist CPAs in performing their audits and other engagements for local auditees, it does not include a detailed analysis of the professional auditing and accounting standards a CPA must consider during his or her audit, review/attestation or compilation engagements; nor is it a substitute for professional judgment. CPAs must reach their own conclusions through research of all applicable auditing and accounting standards, in addition to the LAGAG, in the performance of their local auditee engagements.
In addition, although the LAGAG is intended to assist local auditees, it does not include all the legal and accounting information an agency needs to perform its operations; nor is it a substitute for professional, legal or accounting advice; or professional or personal judgment. Local auditees should use the information in the LAGAG, in conjunction with the guidance of the professionals most familiar with the particular facts and circumstances regarding their agency, in the performance of their operations.
For questions and comments about the LAGAG, please contact LLA at (225) 339-3800.