OLYMPIA — Sen. Ron Muzzall has introduced Senate Bill 6266 to restore and clarify the authority of the Washington State Auditor to access records necessary to conduct authorized audits of state agencies and programs, including records that are confidential by law.
The bill is aimed at strengthening accountability and ensuring the State Auditor can fully carry out performance audits when public funds are involved, including child care funding administered through the Department of Children, Youth, and Families.
Muzzall, R–Oak Harbor, said the situation highlights the need to ensure audit authority is clear and consistent in state law.
“Because of the way some of our laws are written, the State Auditor hasn’t always been able to get the information needed to fully audit child care funding,” Muzzall said. “That’s a problem. Every state agency should be accountable for how it spends taxpayer dollars. This bill helps make sure auditors can do their job and give the public clear answers.”
In a recent Seattle Times op-ed, State Auditor Pat McCarthy described how her office was unable to fully audit federal child care funding for several years because DCYF did not track spending at a level that allowed auditors to verify whether funds were spent in compliance with federal requirements. As a result, hundreds of millions of dollars in spending were questioned, not due to proven fraud, but because auditors could not confirm how the money was used.
SB 6266 updates multiple sections of state law to ensure the State Auditor can access records needed to conduct audits, while explicitly maintaining all existing confidentiality protections. Access for audit purposes does not change the protected status of sensitive records or weaken privacy safeguards.
“This bill is about accountability,” Muzzall said. “Independent audits help people trust that government is doing what it’s supposed to do. When agencies can’t be audited, that trust starts to slip. This legislation restores oversight while keeping privacy protections in place.”
The 60-day 2026 legislative session began Monday, Jan. 12, and will conclude March 12.