2026 -- H 7822

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LC005805

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- RHODE ISLAND

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FORENSIC AUDIT ACT

     Introduced By: Representative Charlene Lima

     Date Introduced: February 26, 2026

     Referred To: House State Government & Elections

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Title 42 of the General Laws entitled "STATE AFFAIRS AND

GOVERNMENT" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter:

CHAPTER 13.2

RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FORENSIC AUDIT ACT

     42-13.2-1. Definitions.

     As used in this chapter:

     (1) “Attorney general” means the Rhode Island attorney general.

     (2) “Department” means the Rhode Island department of transportation

     (3) “Forensic audit” means a specialized, in‑depth examination of an organization’s

financial records and transactions to detect and document potential fraud, misconduct, or other

financial irregularities conducted in accordance with this chapter.

     42-13.2-2. Requirement to commission forensic audit.

     (a) The attorney general shall commission an independent forensic audit of the department

within thirty (30) days following the passage of this chapter.

     (b) The audit shall be performed by an independently nationally accredited firm with

demonstrated expertise in transportation systems, infrastructure finance, and public-sector

performance benchmarking.

     (c) Any and all state agencies and offices shall cooperate with said audit and shall provide

any and all assistance and information requested.

     (d) The audit shall be completed and delivered to the governor and the general assembly

on or before January 1, 2027.

     42-13.2-3. Scope of audit.

     (a) The audit shall include, but not be limited to, the following areas:

     (1) Project delivery efficiency, including schedule adherence, cost escalation trends,

change orders, procurement cycle time, and delivery outcomes;

     (2) Asset management, including pavement, bridges, culverts, intelligent transportation

systems assets, backlog replacement needs, and lifecycle cost analysis;

     (3) Workforce and organizational structure, including ratio of in-house staff to consultants,

vacancy rates, engineering capacity, and impacts on project delivery and oversight;

     (4) Maintenance efficiency, including cost per lane-mile, snow and ice operations

productivity, maintenance productivity, and equipment utilization;

     (5) Financial management, including forecasting accuracy, cash-flow controls, use and

tracking of federal funds, and alignment with the state transportation improvement program (STIP)

and transportation improvement program (TIP); and

     (6) Governance and oversight, including internal controls, performance reporting,

transparency practices, and compliance with responsible charge requirements.

     (b) The audit pursuant to this section shall be separate and independent of any audit

conducted by the auditor general pursuant to chapter 13 of title 22 (“auditor general”).

     42-13.2-4. Appropriation.

     There is hereby appropriated from the department of transportation budget for the fiscal

year 2026-2027, the sum of four hundred fifty thousand dollars ($450,000,000) to cover the cost of

the audit provided for herein.

     42-13.2-5. Procurement and contracting practices.

     (a) Upon completion, the audit shall be submitted to:

     (1) The governor;

     (2) The president of the senate;

     (3) The speaker of the house of representatives; and

     (4) The chairs of the house and senate finance committees.

     (b) The final audit report shall be made publicly available on the DOT’s website.

     42-13.2-6. Cooperation and access to records.

     The department shall cooperate fully with the audit and provide access to all records, data,

contracts, and personnel reasonably necessary to complete the audit.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- RHODE ISLAND

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FORENSIC AUDIT ACT

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     This act would require that an independent forensic audit of the department of

transportation be commissioned by the attorney general.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC005805

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