| SUMMARY OF: | A Sunset Review of the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development, Big Game Commercial Services Board |
Why DLA Performed This Audit
The audit’s purpose was to determine if there is a need for the council’s continued existence and whether its termination date should be extended. The council is set to sunset June 30, 2019, and will have one year from that date to conclude its administrative operations.
Report Conclusions
The audit concluded that the board served the public’s interest by conducting meetings in accordance with applicable laws, amending regulations to improve occupations under the board’s purview, and supporting changes by the Department of Law to improve the timeliness of the disciplinary process. Additionally, the board worked to eliminate the over $1 million deficit reported in the prior 2015 sunset audit.
The audit also concluded that board licenses were not consistently supported by adequate documentation, a high number of investigations had unjustified periods of inactivity, and three board positions were vacant for an extended period.
In accordance with AS 08.03.010(c)(9), the board is scheduled to terminate on June 30, 2019. We recommend that the legislature extend the board’s termination to June 30, 2025, which is two years less than the eight year maximum allowed for in statute. The reduced extension is mainly due to DCBPL staff failing to consistently issue licenses in accordance with laws and failing to conduct investigations in a timely manner.
Findings and Recommendations
- The Division of Corporations, Business, and Professional Licensing’s (DCBPL) director should improve management oversight procedures to ensure required documentation is obtained, reviewed, and retained to support licensure.
- DCBPL’s chief investigator should increase oversight to improve the timeliness of investigations.
- The Office of the Governor, Boards and Commissions director should work with the board to identify potential applicants in a timely manner.