The best source for annual liability and cash flow data is a state's

The Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) is the official, audited annual report for a state or local government. It is prepared in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) as promulgated by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB). The ACFR's financial section contains the complete set of basic financial statements, which includes the Statement of Net Position (reporting assets, deferred outflows, liabilities, deferred inflows, and net position) and the Statement of Cash Flows (for proprietary funds). Therefore, it is the single best and most authoritative source for comprehensive annual liability and cash flow data.

A. PAR: The Performance and Accountability Report (PAR) is a reporting requirement primarily for U.S. federal government agencies, not the standard comprehensive report for a state.

C. Appropriations bill: This is a legislative budget document that authorizes future spending; it does not report on historical financial results, liabilities, or actual cash flows.

D. Statement of activities: This is only one of the financial statements contained within the ACFR. It reports revenues and expenses but does not detail year-end liabilities or cash flows.

1. Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB). Statement No. 34 of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board: Basic Financial Statements—and Management’s Discussion and Analysis—for State and Local Governments. (June 1999). Paragraph 6 outlines the required basic financial statements, including the Statement of Net Position and Statement of Cash Flows, which are presented within the ACFR.

2. Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting Program. The GFOA, which sets best practices, defines the ACFR as the primary report containing the financial statements, notes, and other essential information. The program's checklist explicitly requires the Statement of Net Position and Statement of Cash Flows within the ACFR's financial section.

3. Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia. Financial Management for Georgia's Local Governments, 3rd Edition. (2013). Chapter 10, "Financial Reporting," page 189, states, "The most important component of the ACFR is the financial section, which contains the independent auditor’s report, management’s discussion and analysis (MD&A), the basic financial statements, and the notes to the financial statements." This confirms the ACFR as the container for the required statements.