Executive Order 12

INTHE NAME AND BY THE AUTHOl?ITYOfTHE STATE Of !OWA EXECUTIVE ORDER NUMBER TWELVE WHEREAS, the economies of the United States and the State of Iowa suffered significant setbacks in 2008, including frozen credit markets, declining home values, substantial job losses, and weaknesses in the financial, manufacturing, and automotive industries; and WHEREAS, in April 2009, the national unemployment rate increased to 8.5 percent, and the states face a combined revenue shortfall estimated between $350 to $370 billion over the next two-and-a-half years; and WHEREAS, in February 2009, the unemployment rate in Iowa increased to 4.9 percent, the highest rate in 17 years, State revenue has dropped nearly $130 million for FY2009, and revenue for FY201 O is projected to drop $270 million; and WHEREAS, the Culver-Judge Administration is dedicated to alleviating the effects of the national economic recession on Iowans; and WHEREAS, the U.S. Congress has passed, and President Barack Obama has signed into law, on February 17, 2009 the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Pub. L No. 111-5, (hereinafter "ARRA"), a federal economic stimulus bill; and WHEREAS, the ARRA encompasses $787 billion in tax cuts and supplemental appropriations to states for the purpose of promoting economic recovery; and WHEREAS, the funds provided under the ARRA to the State of Iowa will enable the people of our State to preserve and create jobs, to improve state infrastructure, to promote energy efficiency, to improve learning, to protect health care coverage, to provide unemployment assistance and to stabilize state and local budgets; and WHEREAS, I have certified to President Obama that the ARRA funds received by the State of Iowa will be used to create jobs and to promote economic growth within the state, and WHEREAS, the ARRA requires that the states prepare for the effective and efficient receipt and allocation of funds to stimulate the economy as quickly as possible; and WHEREAS, the ARRA requires the states to provide timely and comprehensive reporting to the Federal Government on the management and use of the ARRA funds to ensure that the funds are spent in a prudent and transparent manner; and WHEREAS, there is an unprecedented requirement for tracking the ARRA funds and for identifying and reporting any suspected waste, fraud and abuse of said funds; and WHEREAS, the State of Iowa has been chosen by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) as one of 16 states that will be followed on a bi-monthly basis over the next two years to provide an ongoing analysis of the use of the ARRA funds, and WHEREAS, the Culver-Judge Administration is committed to meeting or exceeding all ARRA requirements, to promoting transparent government and to ensuring that funds provided under the ARRA are used effectively to benefit Iowans and to keeping Iowans informed about how State agencies are utilizing funds to improve Iowa's economy and to put lowan's back to work; and WHEREAS, the creation of a board will ensure that the ARRA funds are spent efficiently, accountably and transparently. NOW, THEREFORE, I, Chester J. Culver, Governor of the State of Iowa, by the power vested in me by the laws and the constitution of the State of Iowa do hereby order the creation of the IOWA ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY BOARD to monitor and report on the State of Iowa's efforts to implement the AARA. A. Purpose. The Board shall ensure that Iowa meets or exceeds the accountability and transparency requirements of the ARRA, shall monitor the State of Iowa's use of the ARRA funds in order to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse and shall make recommendations to the Governor, as needed, to assure that best practices are implemented. B. Organization. The Board shall be composed of fourteen members. Voting members shall include the following representatives, or their respective designees: • The Governor; • Three Citizens, appointed by the Governor; • The State Auditor; • The State Treasurer; and • Three local government members - one each from a city, a county, and a council of government - appointed by the Governor from lists of nominees provided by their respective associations. Non-voting members shall include the following representatives, or their respective designees: • The Director of the Department of Management; and • Four members of the general assembly, one each appointed by the majority leader of the senate, the minority leader of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the minority leader of the house of representatives. The Governor shall appoint the Chairperson of the Board. The Attorney General shall serve as the Board's legal counsel. C. Duties. The Board shall: a. Assess existing practices to prevent waste, fraud and abuse and to provide recommendations regarding opportunities to strengthen those practices. b. Coordinate with the Department of Management to provide input and information for the website recoverv.iowa.gov, which will list projects and programs financed by ARRA funds, contract awards and the number of jobs created or preserved by these programs. c. Oversee on-time audits and reporting to determine whether wasteful spending, ineffective management or other abuses are occurring. d. Report suspected incidents of waste, fraud or abuse to the Office of the Governor. e. Oversee the web-based ARRA transparency "dashboard". f. Monitor agency ARRA fund spending to ensure that Iowa continues to meet or exceed the transparency and accountability requirements of ARRA. D. Meetings. The Board will meet as necessary, but not less than quarterly. E. Administrative Support. The Department of Management will serve as the host agency to the Board. F. Dissolution. The Board will dissolve on July 30, 2012. ATTEST: MICHAEL A. MAURO SECRETARY OF STATE IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto subscribed my name and caused the Great Sea of Iowa to be affixed. Done at Des Moines this J!/-"Oa'J"of April, in the year Lord two thous nd nine. STER J. CULVE GOVERNOR