Audit Questions Washington State Agencies’ Handling of More than $1 Billion in COVID Aid Funds

A new report from the Washington State Auditor’s Office found a record 86 issues with how 11 state agencies spent federal COVID-19 aid, noting documentation deficiencies and $1.17 billion in questioned costs in the fiscal year 2023.

The audit specifically looked at federal money being spent by the Washington government, which in the last fiscal year totaled over $29 billion.

The nearly $1.2 billion in questioned state spending represents about 4.1% of total federal funds spent by the state in the 2023 fiscal year.