Currently, 48 states have specialized legislative program evaluation offices charged with carrying out research and oversight studies of executive agencies; only Ohio and Oregon do not. Texas has three such offices. Washington had a legislatively created, separate transportation audit unit from 2003 to 2006, the Transportation Performance Audit Board. These offices generally review the effectiveness, efficiency and legality of state executive agencies, as well as the extent to which those agencies are following legislative intent Further, at least 26 legislatures review non-legislative program evaluations or performance audits-such as those performed by an executive branch state auditor-in addition to performing their own.

Almost all states have specialized legislative program evaluation offices.

Five states perform regular sunset reviews of the DOT.

Some states also conduct sunset reviews, which evaluate the functions of a state entity to assess whether it should continue to exist. Arizona, Florida, Louisiana, Tennessee and Texas perform regular sunset reviews of the DOT; in Texas, the DOT will expire on Sept. 1, 2011, unless affirmatively continued by the Legislature.