Financial Transparency Score 2024

from Truth in Accounting, April 23, 2024

Truth in Accounting has once again created a transparency score for the financial reporting by state governments to encourage the publication of transparent and accurate government financial information.

(NOTE: Hawaii ranks 3rd with a score of 84%…but gets only 6 of 15 for ‘Include a net position not distorted by misleading and confusing deferred items.’)

While there is a great deal of focus on state budgets, the results of those budgets are found in a government’s annual comprehensive financial report (ACFR).

Certified public accountants audit this document produced annually by governments. The criteria used to develop our transparency score provide a “best practices” framework for government officials and citizens that can be used to improve their government’s transparency and accountability.

For forty five states, this report is based on fiscal year 2022 data. At the time the report’s research was completed 2022 data was not available for Arizona, California, Iowa, Oklahoma and Nevada, so 2021 data was used.

PDF: Download the full report here.

DAGS: Department of Accounting and General Services | Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) Fiscal Year 2023 (July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023) (hawaii.gov)