5-13-311. Legislative auditor to establish and maintain toll-free number for reporting fraud, waste, and abuse -- procedures. (1) The legislative auditor shall establish and maintain a toll-free telephone number for use by Montana residents for the reporting of fraud, waste, and abuse in state government. The legislative auditor shall review all telephone calls received at the toll-free number and shall maintain a record of each call. The legislative auditor shall:

(a) analyze and verify the information received from each telephone call; or

(b) refer the information for appropriate action to the agency that is or appears to be the subject of the call.

(2) A state agency that receives information referred to it by the legislative auditor pursuant to this section shall take adequate and appropriate action to investigate and remedy any fraud, waste, or abuse discovered as a result of the referral. The agency shall report in writing to the legislative auditor concerning the results of its investigation and those measures taken to correct any fraud, waste, or abuse discovered as a result of the referral.

(3) Information received at the toll-free number is confidential until the time that the legislative auditor or other appropriate agency determines the validity of the information and takes corrective action. After the legislative auditor or other appropriate agency takes action to verify the fraud, waste, or abuse complained of and takes any corrective action, information concerning the subject of the complaint and the remedy, if any, is public information unless precluded by law.

(4) The legislative auditor shall, as directed by the legislative audit committee, periodically report to the committee on:

(a) the use of the toll-free number;

(b) the results of the reviews, verifications, and referrals; and

(c) any corrective actions taken by the appropriate agencies.

(5) Information received at the toll-free number concerning a governmental entity other than state government may be referred by the legislative auditor to an appropriate federal, state, or local government agency.

(6) If the legislative auditor determines that as a result of a review and verification or referral pursuant to this section, a waste of state resources has occurred, the legislative auditor shall report the matter in writing to the legislative fiscal analyst.

(7) The legislative auditor shall advertise the existence and purpose of the toll-free number in an appropriate manner.