NC Senate bill would grant state auditor access to SBI, prosecutors
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Bill allows agreements with the SBI to assign agents to auditor-referred matters.
- Exempts the auditor from DOA oversight on office space purchases and contracts if written.
- The bill allows the auditor to hire experts for Medicaid audits and assign prosecutors.
North Carolina’s state auditor could gain more power, and help from the State Bureau of Investigation, under a bill moving through the state Senate.
State Auditor Dave Boliek, a Republican, was elected in 2024, and has consistently been given more duties and authority from the Republican-controlled General Assembly, from appointment control on the State Board of Elections to more staff and office space.
If the latest legislation, Senate Bill 1013, becomes law, it would:
- Add the auditor’s office to a list that includes sheriffs, police officers, district attorneys and judges that may receive assistance from the State Bureau of Investigation “when called upon by them and so directed.”
- Allow the auditor to be exempt from oversight from the Department of Administration, a Cabinet agency of Democratic Gov. Josh Stein, on office space, including purchases and contracts. The exemption would need to be in writing and sent to Administration secretary.
- Allow the auditor to work with the Conference of District Attorneys to assign prosecutors to help the auditor’s office with handling financial crimes or other criminal matters related to an audit investigation.
- Allow the auditor to contract with experts to help the office audit Medicaid providers, and work with the Department of Health and Human Services to make any referral to law enforcement agencies if needed.
Boliek’s office is currently auditing the Medicaid program within DHHS.
‘So who is overseeing the auditor?’
Republican Sen. Tim Moffitt noted during a committee on Wednesday that “what’s important here is the operative word is ‘may,’” and that it is not a mandate or requirement for the auditor’s office.
Democratic Sen. Gladys Robinson questioned the provision taking away oversight from the Department of Administration.
“So who is overseeing the auditor?” she asked during a committee. Moffitt responded that because the auditor is an elected Council of State position, the voters are the oversight.
Johnston County Republican Sen. Benton Sawrey said that leased property would still have to be approved by the Council of State, which is the 10-member group of statewide elected officials including the governor.
Randy Brechbiel, spokesperson for the auditor’s office, told The News & Observer why the auditor’s office made the requests about the SBI and Conference of District Attorneys.
“The State Auditor’s Office has reinvigorated its Investigative Division. Our work with the SBI and Conference of District Attorneys has already led to the indictment of a former town manager for embezzlement,” he said.
“The proposed changes will streamline resource allocation between our office and the SBI and Conference of District Attorneys, providing greater support in efforts to crack down on government waste, fraud and abuse.”
Brechbiel also said that the Department of Administration oversight exemption request in the bill “is a cost-saving and efficiency measure.”
“We had to wait 13 months to sign a commercial lease through DOA. Exemption will allow our office to negotiate better prices when seeking contracts or property, and on a more productive timeline. Council of State approval will still be required for certain purchases. Expenses will still be published on our online budget dashboard, upholding our commitment to being transparent with taxpayers of North Carolina,” he said.
How the NC auditor’s office got more space
A small spending bill that became law in 2025 gave the auditor’s office more space in the Albemarle Building, which houses the Office of the State Auditor, Department of Administration and the Governor’s Office, and taking it from Administration.
The Albemarle Building is across the street from the Legislative Building and next door to the massive construction site of the North Carolina Education Campus. Oversight of that construction project, which would have once been under the purview of Administration, is being overseen by the Legislative Services Office. The new building replaces the Administration Building, which was demolished a few years ago. That project change was made in previous legislation.
The bill moved ahead to the Senate’s Appropriations Committee. It could potentially be folded in the state budget, which is being negotiated by top Republicans and expected by the end of June. Republican Senate leader Phil Berger told The N&O after session on Wednesday that he had not yet taken a detailed look at the bill.
This story was originally published June 17, 2026 at 4:38 PM.
