HONOURABLE MICHAEL DE JONG
MINISTER OF FINANCE

BILL 14 — 2013

AUDITOR GENERAL AMENDMENT ACT, 2013

HER MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia, enacts as follows:

SECTION 1: [Auditor General Act, section 2] changes the maximum term of office for an Auditor General from one term of 6 years with the potential for a second term of up to 6 years to one term of 8 years.

1 Section 2 (3) to (6) of the Auditor General Act, S.B.C. 2003, c. 2, is repealed and the following substituted:

(3) An Auditor General holds office for a term of 8 years.

(4) The Legislative Assembly may not appoint a person as Auditor General unless the committee unanimously recommends the appointment of the person.

(5) A person appointed as Auditor General under subsection (2) may not be appointed for any subsequent term.

SECTION 2: [Auditor General Act, section 7] authorizes the Legislative Assembly to appoint an acting Auditor General if it is known in advance that the office will become vacant while the Legislative Assembly is dissolved for an election.

2 Section 7 is amended by adding the following subsection:

(3) If the term of office of the Auditor General is scheduled to expire or otherwise end after the next dissolution of the Legislative Assembly but before the expiry of the 120-day period following the next general voting day, the Legislative Assembly, on the unanimous recommendation of the committee, may appoint an acting Auditor General to exercise the powers and perform the duties of the Auditor General beginning on the date the office is scheduled to become vacant and continuing until an appointment is made under section 2.

Commencement

3  This Act comes into force on the date of Royal Assent.

Explanatory Notes

SECTION 1: [Auditor General Act, section 2] changes the maximum term of office for an Auditor General from one term of 6 years with the potential for a second term of up to 6 years to one term of 8 years.

SECTION 2: [Auditor General Act, section 7] authorizes the Legislative Assembly to appoint an acting Auditor General if it is known in advance that the office will become vacant while the Legislative Assembly is dissolved for an election.