​Duties of the State Controller

The State of Idaho Controller is one of seven statewide elected constitutional officers in the executive branch. A portion of the Controller's constitutional duties is to establish statewide internal pre-audit accounting controls to assure state funds are spent properly.

The Controller is the chief fiscal officer of the state of Idaho. Other duties they are responsible for include:

  1. Maintaining all accounting and financial records;
  2. Paying all the state's bills and employees;
  3. Preparing the state's annual financial report; and
  4. Operating the state's Computer Service Center.

The State Controller also serves on:

  1. Idaho State Board of Land Commissioners - Managing Idaho's public endowment lands that benefit public schools and institutions.
  2. Idaho State Board of Canvassers - Certifying election results.
  3. Idaho State Board of Examiners - Examines all claims against the state outside of regular business operations.
  4. Idaho State College Savings Program Board -Provides families with an affordable way to save for college under a “529 college savings program," named IDEAL.
  5. Information Technology Authority (ITA) - reviews and evaluates Information technology policies and systems for state agencies.
  6. Idaho Deferred Compensation Board - Implementation and maintenance of a state Deferred Compensation Program.
  7. National Association of State Controllers Board Member

 

What the Controller's Office Does:

Division of Statewide Accounting

  • Responsible for authorizing and validating state payments against an agency's available cash and appropriation before allowing a payment to be generated;
  • Maintains the Statewide Accounting and Reporting System (STARS) and prepares statewide financial reports; and
  • Implements statewide accounting standards, which conform to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).

Computer Services Center

  • Provides technical and other services as a central service provider;
  • Operates the state's largest mainframe computer; and
  • Provides technical data processing support to state agencies.

Division of Statewide Payroll

  • Pays and keeps payroll records for approximately 25,000 state employees; and
  • Conducts payroll training conferences for government employees

    Statutory duties of the Idaho state controller are prescribed mainly in Chapter 10, Title 67 of the Idaho Code.