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About the Office of the State Auditor
The New Mexico Office of the State Auditor is a constitutionally established executive office with an elected State Auditor eligible to serve up to two four-year terms.
In accordance with the Audit Act, §§ 12-6-1 to 12-6-14, NMSA 1978, the Office has two statutory purposes: (1) to ensure that the financial affairs of every agency shall be thoroughly examined and audited each year by the state auditor, personnel of the state auditor’s office designated by the state auditor or independent auditors approved by the state auditor and (2) cause the financial affairs and transactions of an agency to be audited in whole or in part. Section 12-6-3, NMSA 1978. These two statutory purposes grant the State Auditor the authority to conduct both financial and special audits.
The Office consists of thirty-five employees divided between four divisions and one special office: the Administrative Division, Financial Audit Division, Compliance and Regulation Division, Special Investigation Division, and the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
The Financial Audit Division consists of fourteen employees who are responsible for overseeing financial reporting requirements of over 1,000 governmental entities. While division staff directly perform audits each year, due to the Office’s limited resources, a majority of the financial audits are conducted by independent public accounting firms (IPAs) whom partner with the Office. Staff also ensure that the work conducted by IPAs is completed in accordance with the Audit Rule and professional standards through a report review process and annual workpaper reviews.
The Special Investigation Division consists of seven employees who are responsible for conducting special audits and investigations of state and local government agencies. The division has the ability to conduct or direct a variety of audits including agreed upon procedures, performance audits, or any other special audits the State Auditor deems necessary. This division also oversees a hotline that allows the public to report allegations financial fraud, waste or abuse. This tool allows individuals to report 24 hours a day, seven days a week either on the record or anonymously.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports to the public on statewide issues relating to the use of public funds. The GAO is a key step towards fulfilling the Office’s constitutional mandate to bring transparency and accountability to the use of public funds. Annual financial audits of state and local governments contain a vast amount of information about our state’s finances. The GAO aggregates and analyzes this information in a way that is accessible and useful to the public, providing insight into how the government spends our tax dollars.
The Compliance and Regulation Division processes all audit contracts, handles public records requests, compiles the Audit Rule, and oversees the approval of independent public accounting firms to conduct government audits. In addition, this division houses quality control and legal counsel for the Office.
The Administrative Division consists of five employees who are responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the Office. The division oversees the Office’s budget, information technology, human resources, and provides general administrative support.
About OSA Logo
Similar to many state agencies, the Office of the State Auditor has a logo that reflects its specific function. The logo shares the American eagle with outspread wings that appears on the official state seal (Section 12-3-1 NMSA 1978), but includes an icon of the ledger or "T account.” The left side of the "T" column lists debit transactions and the right side "T" lists credits. The balancing of the debit and credit columns is the fundamental basis of the accounting profession.
Annual Report
- NM Office of the State Auditor Fiscal Year 2018 Annual Report (October, 2018)
- NM Office of the State Auditor Fiscal Year 2017 Annual Report (August, 2017)
Peer Review